Destinies Intertwined
by AmandaArtiste
Summary: Believe it or not the Cyniclons are back!  But this time they came seeking help.  The Mews Mews have their hands full with a new threat however, so its either join forces or watch as both their worlds are destroyed!  PaiLettuce, TartPudding, KisshuMinto
1. ALIENS! Old Friends, New Foes, Past Woes

**Disclaimer**: I do NOT own Tokyo Mew Mew or any of the canon characters. All I own is this story and any characters not seen in the series or manga (i.e. Piper and the Crisects).

**A/N**: Kinda lengthy but you might understand the story better if you take a minute to read this first. It's certainly not required though.

Okay, a few things to mention here:

This is my first Tokyo Mew Mew fanfiction so please be patient with me and any errors I might make. I've only seen the series through twice (same goes for Mew Mew Power, which was only halfway dubbed and differed a bit from TMM).

There'll probably be some spoilers involved for anyone who hasn't seen the whole series yet. So if you haven't and you don't want any spoilers then I suggest you wait to read this until you've seen all the eps…and maybe read the manga and its sequel.

Pairing-wise, (sorta counts as a spoiler) I don't think Pudding will ever wind up with her much older betrothed fiancé Yuebin. She really doesn't seem interested in him in that way and the age difference and maturity levels just further prove its unlikelihood. I'm not saying Pudding's immature (goodness knows she's very responsible and dedicated), just that she'll always have a fun-loving, childlike quality about her. That's what makes Pudding, Pudding. Plus Pudding never really chose him, and if anything I believe she'd only accept him as an 'onii-chan'. The relationship between Lettuce and Ryou is likely to go one of two ways: he comes to return her feelings and the two eventually become a couple,_ or_ he continues to see her only as a friend and ally he wants to protect (as with the other Mews) and she comes to accept that. Either way is certainly a possibility, but should the second happen it could leave Lettuce to further explore her feelings for Pai. Again, I have no problem with Ryou/Lettuce or Pai/Lettuce. Both seem feasible to me (heck so does Zakura/Ryou but eheh, moving on). In this particular story I've chosen to stick with the Pai/Lettuce pairing though. So hopefully now that I've explained my reasoning I won't get flamed as though I were some author who just randomly slaps characters together. That's just not my style.

And because this will probably seem the most OOC to anyone who reads the summary and notices the Minto/Kisshu pairing I'll just say that—while it's a stretch—I do believe it has a chance. Of course it's nothing that'd happen overnight and would definitely take time. Kisshu's flirtatious personality would probably help in breaking the ice though (or get him slapped). And Minto's loneliness (especially in the absence of Zakuro and Ichigo) might make her more accepting of their former enemy. At any rate they're both a shoe-in for driving each other nuts. But, heh, we'll see...

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter One: ALIENS! Old Friends, New Foes, Past Woes

As Fate would have it, the Tokyo Mew Mew were low in numbers on the day the newest threat to their planet arrived. Large hulking creatures, the Crisects, stood at least nine feet tall. Their exoskeletons were of a rusty red, like a lobster before it's boiled. The new alien menace possessed several appendages, among them a set of long, jagged pinchers. A cross between crustaceans and centipedes the seemingly barbaric invaders had an intelligence level that no one would've ever expected of a giant lobster-bug. All things considered, the situation was definitely not good.

Still the remaining Mew Mews—Minto, Lettuce, and Pudding—were ever vigilant in their duties to protect the unsuspecting citizens of Tokyo. With the help of Ryou and Keiichiro (the mysterious men behind the scenes) they managed to track down their disgusting adversaries and drive them back through the holes they crept out of, and often before too much collateral damage occurred. That was the truly frustrating thing about their new enemies, instead of teleporting from location to location as the Cyniclons had done, the Crisects traveled to and from the city via temporary dimensional portals. So short-lived were the miniature wormholes that it was increasingly difficult to get a good lock on them. The sensors the scientific duo had set up throughout the city provided little assistance, leaving the Mews to rely on their instincts and follow the screams.

To compensate for the lack of fighting power the three Mews had decided to patrol the city in shifts. Ryou would even help out in the cafe when things got hectic or had been too quiet for their liking. Though it didn't stop him from grumbling about it when the need arose. Minto had surprisingly stepped up to assume the role as leader until Ichigo, Berry, and the others returned from their mission in America. It wasn't as though she was thrilled about the opportunity, but with Pudding struggling to support a houseful of younger siblings and Lettuce's indecisiveness and lack of assertion, she had felt it necessary to be the one to take charge during battles. But she often made remarks about wanting Ichigo to hurry back and 'fill her post'. For their own parts, Lettuce and Pudding deserved to be commended for their dedication to the team. Aside from the added stress of constantly being on-call with no reinforcements the ordeal was tiring and interfered with their personal lives more than ever before. But, be that as it may, they were Mew Mews and understood the need to make sacrifices for the greater good.

After all, no one ever said defending the world would be easy.

* * *

"Mew Mews!" Ryou's voice cried urgently from the video screen on Lettuce's cell phone. 

She held the device out for the girls to see. They'd been spending a leisurely day at the mall (for once) when the familiar ring tone had sent them all darting out the nearest exit door.

"Ryou onii-chan!" Pudding gasped, "Are the aliens attacking again, na no da?"

"Yes, we've detected their energy signals emanating from the park by the local middle school. You must act quickly to prevent casualties. Hurry Mew Mews, transform!"

No sooner said than done the three ordinary teens transformed into the super heroines known throughout the city as the Tokyo Mew Mew.

"Mew Mew Minto-"

"Mew Mew Lettuce-"

"Mew Mew Pudding-"

"-Metamorphosis!!!"

When they arrived they found the Crisects' portals spread out across the area, dark swirling vortexes contrasted sharply against the otherwise picturesque park setting.

"Oh no!" Mew Lettuce gasped.

"They're everywhere, na no da!" Mew Pudding exclaimed.

"We'll have to split up." Mew Minto decided.

They exchanged determined looks and curt nods before racing off in various directions. Screams were already ringing out around them as helpless citizens crossed paths with the giant space monsters.

Producing a pair of castanets the green Mew shouted, "Reborn Lettuce Rush!" and sent one of the bug aliens toppling back through its portal before it could attack the cowering picnickers.

"GAH!" an ice cream vendor dunked behind his cart when one of the rust colored Crisects targeted him. The series of garbled clicks and hiss-like noises that followed were impossible to understand yet somehow extremely threatening.

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" cringing he dropped beside the back wheel and covered his head. _This has to be a dream! Some horrible, crazy, totally harmless dream!_

The creature above him loomed over the cart to strike.

"HEY!"

Mew Pudding struck a challenging pose and waited for the alien to face her. If it were possible for something that looked like a lobster crossed with a centipede to appear confused then that was certainly the look she received.

"Pudding won't let you eat the Ice Cream Man, na no da!" she declared while brandishing her weapon theatrically, "This is Pudding's favorite place to get banana flavored icy pops, na no da!"

Confusion shifted to anger as the alien charged her.

"Pudding Ring Inferno!"

When the vendor chanced a peek around his cart he was met with the unbelievable sight of a space monster trapped in a giant gelatin mold.

"Gah!" he gasped and fell over while Pudding sheepishly flashed a victory sign.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a completely different region of space… 

The Cyniclons were having their own problems. After finally making their planet livable, with the help of the Mew Aqua retrieved from Earth, yet another threat to their existence had come. And this time it came in the grotesque form of the carnivorous Crisects.

For millions of years their artillery had been dwindling. Technological advancement suffered from the lack of resources in their once harsh and inhospitable environment. When the planetary conditions did improve their species had been so preoccupied with enhancing the planet and rebuilding their civilization that building up their defenses had taken a backseat.

Now a solemn figure stood before a large holo-projection of one of the more heavily populated sectors of their capital city watching grimly as red dots began popping up and bleeping across the map. The invasion alarm blared promptly.

"Pai!" a green haired alien teleported into the room and dropped down behind him. "What's going on Pai? Don't tell me that-"

"It's another raid," the elder Cyniclon confirmed. "The aliens are attacking again."

In the midst of all the chaos one young boy was weaving in and out of the stampeding crowd trying not to get trampled. The little blond clutched his ocarina protectively and darted about in a zigzag pattern until he came out on the other side of the fleeing Cyniclons.

It was only then that he found out what they'd been running from. An army of mutant centipedes were chasing them across the city! Those who couldn't reach the safety of the inner dome were as good as bug bait!

The child stiffened when he suddenly felt the presence of death standing just over his shoulder. Shakily he turned to see two bone-crushing pinchers strike down at him.

"YAH!!"

Hair on end he scrambled to get away and nearly got clamped in two several times over. The boy's mind raced frantically as his pursuer chased him back in the opposite direction.

_Oh man! Oh man! I'll never make it to the inner dome in time!_ He chanced a glance over his shoulder… "_**AAAHH!!**_"

_It's right on my TAIL! I've gotta get outta here! Gotta hide somewhere! But—WHERE?!_

His orange eyes darted about for a hiding place but with the Crisects storming around everywhere there was nothing within reach. That only left one alternative…

Taking a hard right he began sprinting toward the closest vortex he could find. He wasn't sure what was waiting for him on the other side but at the moment **anything** had to better than where he was.

Suddenly another Crisect emerged from the portal and spotted the child coming toward it. With both pinchers raised to attack it bounded forward to catch him.

The Cyniclon youth noticed the second alien just in time. Squeezing his eyes shut he struggled to concentrate despite his racing heart. The Crisect lunged for him and both pinchers stabbed the ground with enough force to split it open. But the blond had managed to teleport away just before the blow was dealt.

He reappeared a few feet behind the alien, tripped, and wound up rolling through the portal before it swirled shut.

* * *

Back on Earth Minto was firing arrows at the Crisects as their portals appeared around the lake. Standing atop an overturned rowboat she prepared to fire another when a new portal opened up behind her. 

"Reborn Mint Ech—AAHHH!!"

The bird Mew was suddenly bowled over by a tiny bundle in an oversized tunic. She landed in an undignified heap beside the dingy and grumbled about 'having all the luck'.

A piercing shriek of rage reminded her the danger wasn't over. Quickly she leapt to her feet and drew another arrow through her bow. Once she had the rampaging Crisect in her sights she released it with a cry of, "Reborn Mint Echo!"

The creature fell and tumbled into the water. She wasted no time in dashing over and taking aim for another shot.

The Crisect floundered about in the shallow water, stuck like a turtle on its back. With a triumphant smirk she threaded the arrow. "Reborn Mint Echo!!"

Forgotten for the moment the child scrambled to his feet and quickly patted himself down until he found the cherished ocarina tucked inside one of the folds of his tunic. "Phew!"

Then his gaze drifted up to the strange blue-haired lady standing at the lake's shore with her back to him. He watched as she fired her weapon at the massive lobster-bug in the water. The force of the blast sent it skidding across the lake to the opposite shore. She fired again and the creature coiled up like a giant centipede. This time the force sent it bouncing up the steep hillside and straight through the portal.

Success! Minto couldn't have been more pleased with herself. Though she mentally reminded herself to complain later about what an unfair disadvantage having the team split up caused her. _Things would be so much easier with Ichigo and Onee-sama here to help._

She sighed and turned to leave only to find the tiny cannonball from before looking up her with wide orange eyes and arms hung limply by his sides. A beige hood covered everything but his face and bangs.

"Hey bird lady! Where am I?"

"B-B-Bird lady?!" the blue Mew stammered at the insult. "What a vulgar thing to say! My name is Minto—err—uhm—_MEW_ Minto! And what do you mean 'where are you'? You're in Tokyo of course!"

Tangerine orbs blinked in confusion. "Tow-ki-o?"

Minto rolled her eyes. _Honestly, some kids!_ "Yes Tokyo, as in Tokyo, _Japan_. It's one of the largest cities on Earth!"

"Earth…?" the little kid was awestruck. _I'm really on Earth?_

"Hmph," still miffed about the trouble he'd caused she launched into a snippy interrogation, "Who are you? And just what did you think you were doing back there? I was in the _middle_ of an _**attack**_! Where are your parents?"

She thought back to how he'd collided with her from behind. The kid seemed to drop out of thin air. "Just where did you come from anyway?"

The blond snorted. "I fell through the hole, duh!"

Minto's mood wasn't helped by the rude reply. Reaching down she angrily jerked off his hood and gasped. Before her stood a young _Cyniclon_! His golden hair was tied back behind his unmistakably long, elfish ears. Bright orange eyes blinked up her as he muttered a simple, "What?" and shrugged.

The Mew Mew was dumbfounded. "Y-You…you're a…" she stammered in disbelief. _How did he __**get**__ here?_

"Minto-san!" a female voice shouted in the distance.

"Minto onee-chan!" another, younger voice echoed. "Are you alive, na no da?"

"Pudding-san!" the first scolded.

Minto looked up toward the row of trees lining the top of the bank. "Lettuce… Pudding..."

The little Cyniclon panicked and wriggled out of her grasp.

"W-Wait!" Minto attempted to stop him but it was too late. He'd already teleported out of sight.

"Minto onee-chan, there you are, na no da!" Pudding squealed happily and slid down the embankment.

"Huh?" Minto turned around just as Pudding ensnared her in a bear hug.

"Who were you talking to Minto-san?" Lettuce asked, approaching at a much slower pace.

"Oh, um…" and the lorikeet girl proceeded to explain to her friends about the alien child who just 'up and disappeared' mere seconds before their arrival. Both girls were shocked to hear he was a Cyniclon.

"I wonder how someone from their world was able to travel to ours through a Crisect portal? Perhaps they're having trouble with the Crisects too?" Lettuce speculated.

"Pudding is worried about the little alien, na no da." the monkey Mew announced. "We should find him right away. Children can get into a lot of trouble if left on their own, no da."

"Pudding-san's right," Lettuce agreed, "he couldn't have gone far. We may still be able to catch up to him if we hurry."

"Right," Minto nodded. And the three parted ways again to search for the boy.

Hidden up in the foliage of one of the trees a pair of tangerine colored orbs peered down at the scene. Two tiny fangs protruded as his lips curled back into a smirk. "_Minto_ huh?"

After hours of combing the park and surrounding areas with no luck the trio decided to return to base. They arrived back at Café Mew Mew at sunset and raced downstairs to ask Ryou and Keiichiro for assistance.

While the two scientists ran computer searches for any unusual energy signatures in the city, the girls returned upstairs to clean the shop. The air was tense as they tidied the dining area and waited for word from the basement.

Wiping her brow Lettuce leaned against the broom and sighed. "I wish Masha was still around." The other girls stopped what they were doing to listen. "His alien detection abilities would be a big help."

"It's better that he went with Ichigo, Zakura, and Berry onee-chans, and Tasuku and Aoyama onii-chans on their mission," Pudding chimed in, "since we still have Ryou and Akasaka onii-chans to help us, na no da!"

"But did they have to take Ucha too?" the lorikeet girl frowned.

"There were a lot of leftover predacytes running loose, no da." Pudding reminded her.

"The Cyniclons had to hurry back to their people so they didn't exactly have time to round them all up." Lettuce added. "With both Ucha and Masha helping them the others should be able to finish their mission much faster."

The three paused a moment then sighed in unison. With half the team missing and a major crisis on their hands they were really feeling the strain.

Suddenly the front doors were flung open and a beige colored blur streaked in! It flew over the tables, shot directly between Lettuce and Pudding, then collided with-

"OMPHF!"

"Minto-san!"

Both girls winced as she was knocked backwards and sent tumbling back into the wall. The loud _CRASH_ sent Ryou and Keiichiro rushing up from the basement. Before they burst in Lettuce and Pudding cautiously approached their dazed companion who lay sprawled out in a disheveled heap of blue and white fabric.

Minto's head was spinning—as well as her eyes—as it bobbed from side-to-side. It would've been comical, had Lettuce not immediately feared the worst and overreacted, as usual.

"Minto-san! Minto-san!"

"Minto onee-chan!" their voices echoed in her head as Pudding shook her fiercely by the shoulders.

None too soon Minto's head was clear and her vision came back into focus. The first thing she noticed was that her friends were standing over her with concern written across their faces. The second was the feeling of an added weight resting in her lap.

Slowly and curiously she sat up and reached down to fix her apron back into place from where it had flipped up over her chest. When she pulled it down they all gasped in surprise at the sight of a long-eared, bright eyed ALIEN child!

"Yo, Minto-chan!" he chirped happily.

And thus was the scene when Ryou and Keiichiro stormed in. All three girls had their jaws dropped in shock, eyes wide, and stunned to silence. Meanwhile the little blond sat atop Minto beaming at them as though nothing at all was out of the ordinary.

Ryou approached first and inhaled sharply when he saw the boy. Keiichiro was right behind him but gave a much calmer response, as was his nature. "Ah," he smiled, "I see you've found him."

The Cyniclon looked from one to the other with a serious expression and said nothing more.

"Ahem!" Minto exclaimed when she managed to find her voice again. "Would someone mind getting this child **off **me?"

"Aw! He's so _CUTE_, na no da!" Pudding cried cheerfully as she bent down to scoop him up.

But the young alien jerked away so fast that it caused Minto to bump against the wall. He sat with his back pressed firmly against her, glaring distrustfully up at the monkey Mew. Pudding blinked in confusion.

"It's okay," Lettuce tried, "we won't hurt you."

"That's right!" Pudding smiled, "We're the good guys, na no da!"

Minto was rapidly losing her patience, as could be noticed by the tic mark pulsing on her forehead.

"Just how did he get here anyway?" Ryou wondered aloud.

"We're not sure, na no da." Pudding was still fixated on the wary little blond. "Ask Minto onee-chan, she's the one who found him, no da!"

All eyes—save Pudding's—turned to Minto whose face was reddening with anger. "I didn't _find_ him!" she snapped at the spectators, "He **rammed** me from behind when I was fighting a Crisect and **knocked** me off a boat!"

"What were you doing on a boat?" Keiichiro asked innocently. With the little floating robots gone the two had less footage to go by when the Mew Mews were engaged in battle.

"I was—ooh—never mind! Just get him OFF of me! NOW!"

Ryou stepped forward but the kid obliged her himself. Hopping up he stood casually by her side as she accepted Ryou's hand and was lifted to her feet. Minto took a moment to smooth the wrinkles out of her uniform before turning to glare at the child.

"What in the world possessed you to come barreling in here and tackling me to the ground?" she demanded. "Don't you have any manners?"

"Minto-san!" Keiichiro coaxed, "Please, calm down. He's only a child."

"Yes Minto-san," Lettuce nodded with a bead of sweat forming on her brow, "he was probably just overjoyed to see a friendly face."

Pudding narrowed her eyes and muttered incredulously, "You call _that_ a 'friendly face'?"

Minto's glare darkened. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Back to the matter at hand," Ryou coughed, "We now have a lost Cyniclon on our hands and let's not forget that those Crisects could be back any minute."

"What should we do?" Lettuce questioned, stealing a worried glance at the boy. "He fell out of one of their portals. They may come looking for him!"

Keiichiro stepped forward and knelt down, "I am Keiichiro Akasaka," he introduced himself to the child, "please rest assured that you are safe here at the secret base of the Tokyo Mew Mew. You have my word that we will all do our very best to protect you."

The kid stared at him emotionlessly so he continued.

"It would help us a lot if we knew how you got here. Maybe we can help you get back home to your family?"

Orange eyes blinked at him a few times then turned up to face the sulking bird Mew. Minto jolted when she felt a small hand reach out and take hold of her dress hem. Looking down she saw him staring up her with big, imploring eyes. She felt a sudden tug in her chest. _What's the matter with me? And __**why**__ does he have to keep looking at me like that?_

"Well," Ryou's voice broke the silence that had fallen over them, "for some reason he seems to be _attached _to Minto." Said Mew shot him a dirty look. "So it's best that he stays with her until we can figure out a way to send him back home. Minto, maybe you can get him to talk to you?"

The blue-clad waitress huffed and folded her arms. "I think it's a ridiculous idea! Just how am I supposed to get him past Nana and the housekeeping staff?"

"You'll figure something out," Ryou dismissed her objection. "It's a big mansion. You've got plenty of room to hide him."

"Why can't he just stay here with YOU?" she shouted and stamped her foot.

"Keiichiro and I will be too busy with research to look after a kid." he waved the matter off. "And besides, it's better for one of you to watch over him incase the Crisects attack."

"Then let Pudding do it!" she jerked a finger at the monkey Mew.

"Pudding would _love_-"

"Pudding already has enough children to take care of," Ryou interrupted.

The blonde Mew slumped forward, "-oh, right, na no da."

Minto started to feel cornered. "Then what about Lettuce?"

"Um, it's not that I don't _want_ to help," the porpoise girl murmured sadly, "but my house is a lot smaller than yours Minto-san. It would be even harder for me to hide him from my parents and Uri. I'm so sorry!"

Minto exhaled loudly in defeat. It looked like she was stuck with the brat.

"So you see," Ryou boasted a smug grin, "it really is best that he stays with you, Minto."

"Fine!" she growled, "But the rest of you owe me! And don't bother asking me for anymore favors, not after this!"

Everyone seemed okay with that. The Cyniclon couldn't have been happier with the decision. Minto was his first choice, whether she liked him or not didn't much matter. Attention was attention and at least here he wasn't getting overlooked. He had a feeling his reluctant caregiver wouldn't dare to take her eyes off of him for a second. _This is going to be so much fun!_

* * *

Back on the unidentified child's home planet Pai was once again staring at the holo-projection of their capitol city. This time he was grimly surveying the damage done by the latest Crisect attack. 

Again the air rippled behind him with teleportation energy. This time however, his green haired companion was not alone. Beside him a smaller Cyniclon with chestnut brown pigtails hovered. Both regarded the oldest with looks of concern. Pai had always been the more serious and realistic member of the group. The lavender haired alien seemed the most cut-out to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders, though sometimes he became so fixated with the end result that he got carried away with the means. Such was evident in the way he'd ruthlessly persisted in extracting information from the Mews' robot Masha after capturing it on a fluke.

"Kisshu, Taruto," he acknowledged them without sparing a glance, "as you can see from these images the red zone in Sector 12 has been nearly demolished by the alien invaders. This time five people were killed, and nine others injured. And this was only a small scale attack. If this continues the city will be in ruins within a week."

"What about the inner domes?" Kisshu queried, "Shouldn't they provide us with protection against the aliens?"

"If we'd had more time to perfect them, upgrade them, and make them more durable against technological attacks, perhaps they might. But as it stands," Pai turned to his comrades with a grave look in his cold, calculating eyes, "our defenses simply aren't strong enough to hold them off much longer."

The floating figures gasped and exchanged distraught glances. "So what should we do?" Taruto blurted helplessly

"Our only hope is to recruit outside forces to help us battle the enemy. Otherwise our people stand no chance of victory. The aliens will destroy us all."

"You mean ask for help from some other species?" Kisshu questioned. "From another planet?"

"Hm," Taruto struck a thoughtful pose, "who do we know that we could ask for help?"

"There is only one choice," Pai stated emphatically.

"The Tokyo Mew Mew." Kisshu finished.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	2. Mama Bird

**A/N**: I appreciate the feedback. Enjoy the next chapter! This one's mostly concerned with filling in certain gaps and keeping this a plot hole free story.**  
**

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Two: Mama Bird

Time had flown by rather quickly since the petit alien's arrival at the café. All three Mew Mews had been busy tidying up the shop (which was in _more_ disarray because of his dynamic entrance) so they could go home for the day.

Naturally the Cyniclon's presence had become somewhat of a distraction, especially for a certain kid-loving, hyperactive monkey girl.

Before the kid could blink Pudding was back in his face with a sugary sweet smile. "Hey there little guy! Pudding thinks aliens are cool, na no da! In fact Pudding's good friend is an alien just like you, na no da! Do you know Taru-Taru?"

The young Cyniclon shook his head dazedly. _What's up with this girl? She's got enough energy to power an entire underground city!_

"By the way," she continued, "my name is Pudding, na no da. That's Lettuce onee-chan, Shirogane onii-chan's the project leader who told Minto onee-chan to watch after you, no da!"

_...or maybe the whole darn planet?_

"How could he still not know your name Pudding?" Minto asked in obvious boredom. "You've said it enough times. It's like Lettuce and her apologies."

The porpoise girl blushed and bowed. "S-Sorry."

Minto rolled her eyes in response.

"So..." Pudding prompted after doing a quick lap around the room with her mop, "What's _your_ name, na no da?"

"..."

Not one to be easily deterred the monkey Mew began prancing around chanting: "What's your name? What's your name? What's your name, na no da?!"

The kid watched the spectacle not really sure of what to make of it. "Um..."

Pudding skidded to a halt and waved, "Greetings Um! It's a pleasure to meet you, na no da! Do you like tricks? Wanna see Pudding eat **fire**, no da?"

"Ehehe, Pudding-san," Lettuce clasped her hands together pleadingly, "I don't think 'Um' is our new friend's real name."

"But it might be alien, na no da!"

_What a bunch of creepy freaks._ The confused Cyniclon cautiously edged his way back over to Minto.

The bird Mew sighed when she felt him brush against her legs. _What do I look like, some sort of alien nanny? No way! Ugh…this just hasn't been my day._

"Alright girls," Ryou announced a short while later, "things look spick and span here so you're free to go. Have a nice night. And Minto, remember, you're in charge of the little guy. So keep him safe!"

An annoyed grunt came in reply as she trudged to the changing room (then paused long enough to give her charge a sharp order not to follow). He waited for her obediently until she emerged wearing one of her usual classy outfits with her hair down and flowing a few inches past her shoulders.

"Well c'mon," she frowned and pointed to the doors, "we may as well get going."

_It's a good thing I don't take the limo home anymore._

"Bye Minto onee-chan!" Pudding called from the café where she was waiting for Lettuce to catch up. "Take care of Um, na no da!"

The bird Mew rolled her eyes and kept walking. At least it was dark out and the kid had a hood to cover his foot-long elfish ears.

By some stroke of luck Minto was able to sneak the alien boy into her house without being discovered. She'd originally planned to have him teleport inside her room but found he could only go as far as to her balcony doors, which were locked from the inside. So with great irritation she had instructed him to wait there while she hastened around the house and up the stairs to let him in.

"I can't believe you couldn't just teleport in here." she huffed as she unfastened the lock. "It would've saved me all this trouble."

"All you did was run upstairs." he pouted. "Besides, I can't help it. I'm still pretty young ya know? Cyniclons my age can't teleport that far yet and it's hard for me to get somewhere without being able to visualize it in my mind first. It's way too dark in here for that."

A little less miffed she spun around and headed back inside the room to turn on a lamp. "Excuses, excuses."

Things were going smoothly—until Miki started barking the instant he set foot inside.

"Miki! Shh!" Minto hissed at her noisy puppy. After a few more stern warnings he finally quieted down and scurried over to sniff the boy's shoes.

Judging by his reaction, the Cyniclons didn't have anything like dogs on their planet. Though he was understandably apprehensive about the strange little creature Minto found herself relieved when he placed a timid hand on the pup's head and laughed as Miki licked him affectionately.

"At least that's settled now," she sighed and went over to her bed where a freshly washed nightgown lay folded neatly at the edge.

Shooting the kid a warning glance she took the garment and walked behind a richly decorated screen set up in the far corner of her room. There she changed into her nightly attire and came out with a ribbon tied in her hair.

For a moment she watched as the blond played with her puppy on the floor. His pale skin and golden tresses were illuminated by the moonlight pouring in through the balcony doors.

_What am I going to do about his clothes? _she wondered with dismay. _He's certainly not climbing into MY bed wearing those dirty old rags._

Fortunately the child was young enough, she guessed about Heicha's age, so that she didn't feel awkward about sharing a bed with him…at least for one night anyway. But that still left her with the dilemma of locating a youth-sized pair of pajamas.

"Oh well," she groaned and left the room for minute before returning with one of her brother's undershirts, "it'll have to do."

The boy glanced up, surprised to see her holding a large white t-shirt that she'd supposedly pulled out of thin air. He'd been too preoccupied with the playful puppy to notice her brief absence. She held it out to him but when he made no move to take it she huffed and tossed it at him then spun around and crossed her arms. "Put it on." she ordered.

Pulling the shirt off his head the young Cyniclon stared at it in confusion for a moment before turning his attention toward Minto. When he saw she wasn't moving his eyes widened in realization. _It's for me!_

In no time he'd removed his bulky clothes and pulled the 'nightshirt' over his head. Sure it was over two sizes too big for him but he was used to wearing clothes with plenty of room to grow into.

When the rustling of fabric stopped Minto chanced a look behind her. The boy stood staring back clad in the t-shirt and what she could now tell was a pair of navy pants. They were made in the same fashion as Pai's had been, a bit baggy and ended right at his shoes. Thankfully the tunic had kept them from getting too dirty. Walking over she gathered up his discarded clothes and placed them in the bottom drawer of her dresser, making a mental note to wash them later. _I hope they don't stain anything._

"Okay," she turned back to the boy, "go wash up and get into bed."

Orange eyes followed her finger to the narrow door on the adjacent wall. With another sound of exasperation she ushered him through it and hoisted him up to the sink. "Here," she instructed, handing him a bar of ivory soap, "scrub your hands and face clean with this then brush your teeth."

Wordlessly he accepted the soap and passed it between his hands as she searched for a spare toothbrush in one of the drawers under the sink.

Minto rolled her eyes and lifted the handle atop the faucet, instantly a stream of crystal clear tap water poured out. It didn't take much prodding to get him to wash up, though she had to lead by example when it came to brushing teeth.

_Goodness only knows what techniques the Cyniclons practice when it comes to oral hygiene._

With that taken care of she waited while he wiped his mouth with her monogrammed hand towel then gestured for him to head back into the bedroom. Pulling back the covers she tapped her foot impatiently until he hopped into bed and scooted toward the far pillow.

"You sleep over there and I'll sleep on this side where my alarm is." she told him flatly and proceeded to climb in and turn on her side with her back to the boy. As an afterthought she murmured, "Good night."

He sat there a few seconds, hands folded in his lap, and let his eyes wander around the room. It was fairly dark inside, save for the pale light streaming through the glass doors, but he could still make out the shapes of the furniture and other various items strewn atop the shelves and tabletops. He jumped when Miki suddenly hopped onto the bed. Normally the pup would lay in his basket by the balcony doors but he was still rather curious about the new child. After turning round in circles a few times Miki settled down at the foot of the bed and dozed off.

The alien flashed him a grateful smile then slipped beneath the covers and laid his head against the plush pillow.

_This isn't so bad, _he thought as he lay facing the 'bird lady' then let out a tired yawn, _Yeah, I could get used to this._

With a happy little smile he watched her silently until his eyes drifted shut.

It was 2:45 in the morning when Minto reluctantly stirred from her sleep. The warm presence of another body pressed against her back had roused her from her dreams. For a second she assumed it was Miki curling up next to her as he was sometimes prone to do. But the feeling of a small arm slung over her waist chased that thought away. Rising up on her elbow she glanced down to see the alien boy fast asleep and holding onto her in a half embrace.

She briefly considered removing herself from his hold but hesitated. He looked so small and helpless cuddled next to her in the dark. For whatever reason, in the entire world she was now his one source of comfort and security. The thought was as humbling as it was staggering to Minto. Her heart melted a bit and she lowered herself back down to assume her previous position, only this time she twisted so that she was flat on her back, one arm draped over the pillows and the other resting gently across the boy.

_Hmm… _her charge grinned contentedly in his sleep, _…so soft, and warm, and pretty, and she smells really nice. Things are almost like they used to be. She's—perfect._

* * *

The next morning Minto awoke to find her charge playing with Miki on the rug by her balcony doors. They were having a tug-of-war with one of the pup's thick rope toys. Rubbing her eyes she glanced at the clock. Since it was mid summer she still had a few weeks before vacation ended and classes started again. However, that also meant longer hours at work. The girls had all been putting in extra time at the café with the recent alien appearances. Ryou wanted them close by incase another raid began. And hey, while they were _waiting_, they may as well serve tea and desserts at the shop. Even Pudding found it hard to be thrilled at the prospect of so much work. 

"I could kick Pudding for suggesting that new breakfast menu," Minto groaned, thinking about all the fruit-topped pancakes and gooey cinnamon rolls she'd be serving. Keiichiro had really outdone himself with some of the sugary creations. _That reminds me, I'm going to have to feed this kid soon. Hope Akasaka has some pancakes ready._

Little whoever-he-was looked over at her when she yanked off the covers and trudged toward the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower," she announced groggily, "stay put and don't answer the door."

He nodded when she gestured toward the door she'd locked the night before. Minto couldn't risk her Nana or one of the maids accidentally stumbling across him. There was no way she'd be able to explain harboring some alien kid in her room.

When Minto emerged from the bathroom thirty minutes later, wearing her aqua bathrobe with her hair in a dark blue towel, she had one heck of a time convincing the Cyniclon to follow suit. Eventually she wound up running the water herself and leaving him in the bathroom with the warning that she'd be back with his clothes soon and he'd _**better**_ be out and ready to change.

_I already sound like this kid's mother._ she thought grouchily on her way out.

He followed her orders sure enough, right down to the letter in fact. Unfortunately…Minto hadn't mentioned anything about where to find the towels.

"Eeek!" she shrieked when she came back to find him glaring at her accusingly. The kid was dripping water all over her carpet, just standing there with his arms crossed and lower lip out in a pout.

Slamming the door she hastened over, yanked the towel from her hair and threw it around him. "What on Earth are you **doing**? Don't you know you're not supposed to walk around naked in a lady's room?! What if someone saw you?!"

_What if someone __**hears**__ me?!_ she thought frantically. Minto clamped her mouth shut and listened anxiously for a startled cry from a passing maid but thankfully none came.

"Geez Mama Bird, you sure are jumpy," the boy's words snapped her out of her worriment.

"What?"

"…and strict." he added.

Minto furrowed her brow, "My name is not 'Mama Bird'. It's Minto. You should call me 'Minto-san'."

"Why?"

"Because," she hmphed, "it's proper."

The alien took a moment to consider her words before he spoke again. "But you're a bird lady, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Minto drew back in confusion.

"Yeah, a bird lady. I saw your wings and tail feathers back when you were shooting arrows at that alien."

Minto twisted her mouth to the side and huffed, "That was my Mew Mew form and that's a secret! You can't tell anyone about it. Understand?"

He mulled over the question a bit then flashed her a brilliant smile. "Okay _Mama Bird_, I won't tell!"

"Ughhh…" Minto groaned. This was going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

It was no small miracle that Minto finally managed to get the Cyniclon dressed and ready to go. He'd put up quite the fuss. Demanding to know why his clothes smelled like flowers and squirming the whole time she was brushing out his hair. She'd been so busy tending to him that she'd nearly forgotten to dry her own hair and put it up in her familiar style. Now the black tresses were extra wavy and remained slightly damp as she rounded the gate to her property and started off in the direction of Café Mew Mew. 

Minto knew without looking that the alien child was there, following her like a shadow, teleporting from tree to tree along the way. She tried to keep an even pace, though a part of her was itching to turn around and make sure he was still safely behind her.

Upon reaching the café she was promptly greeted by a smiling Lettuce and unnervingly cheerful Pudding.

"Good morning Minto-san," Lettuce kept her uneasy grin in place. The café would be opening soon so she'd been hastening about, placing tea cups and saucers at all the table settings. The bird Mew inwardly wondered how many dishes she'd broken so far.

"Minto onee-chan, na no da!" Pudding was already rolling about merrily on her ball, precariously balancing an array of spinning plates atop wooden sticks in either hand. "Where is the little alien, na no da?"

"I'm sure he's right behind me." Minto replied snootily before heading to the dressing room to change into her uniform.

Right on cue the blur was back. Minto barely had enough time to turn around before she was tackled by the blond cannonball. "OMPHF!"

_CRASH!_

Keiichiro poked his head out of the kitchen and saw Minto sprawled out on the floor, having rolled along a few yards before the dressing room door broke her fall. Atop her stomach sat the little alien who beamed happily down at her.

"Ah, I see you've arrived Minto-san." the pastry chef chuckled at the sight. "Would you and your little friend care for some pancakes?"

"Not me," Minto winced as she sat up, feeling queasy from the impact, "just feed this pest before I launch him back to his own planet on the _**Rocket Express**_."

"Alright then," Keiichiro replied ever-cheerful, "what would you like on your pancakes? Our toppings include whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon, banana, peach, blackberry, and cherry. Or if you'd prefer, I can whip you up a nice batch of chocolate chip pancakes!"

Again the blond alien regarded him expressionlessly. The room fell silent until his orange gaze drifted over to Minto, who'd taken advantage of the distraction to go and change and was now exiting the dressing room in her waitress uniform.

In a flash he'd teleported himself over so that he was hovering just above her shoulder. "Mama Bird," the phrase caused eyes to widen all around, "you're supposed to take care of me, right?"

"It appears that way. So?" Minto quirked an eyebrow.

"So…I want _you _to cook." he replied.

Pudding broke out into giggles. "He doesn't know what he's asking, na no da! Minto onee-chan has never cooked a meal in her life, no da!"

Lettuce tried but couldn't hold back a laugh at that. Minto puffed out her cheeks as everyone but the alien enjoyed a good laugh at her expense.

"Fine!" she blurted, stomping toward the kitchen, "I'll have you know that I'm an excellent cook…I think. Besides, how hard can it be to make a simple batch of pancakes?"

"Um Minto-san," Keiichiro sweat dropped, "I think I should warn you that this will be a bit more difficult than preparing Valentine's Day chocolate."

"So?" the bird Mew huffed, "I'm up to the challenge. Just give me the ingredients and I'll have the batter mixed in no time."

"Yes but then you have to fry it."

"I know that!" she snapped, "Now out of my way! I've got a breakfast to cook!"

Out in the dining area Pudding and Lettuce exchanged wary glances while the floating alien smirked after his caregiver. _Too easy. Let the fun begin!_

About a half dozen tries later and just ten minutes before opening time the pancakes were cooling in front of a quizzical blond. _Maaaybe this wasn't such a good idea…_

"Well?" Minto urged, hovering over him expectantly. "Aren't you going to at least _try_ them? You did insist that_ I_ make them for you."

With a gulp the alien poured some maple syrup over the steaming pile of presumably edible discs on his plate. Lettuce had whispered earlier that it might be a good idea to coat them with the sticky liquid before taking a bite. He'd pretended not to listen then but was now secretly grateful for the advice.

The food was oddly shaped, not a perfect circle and various shades of brown. The top pancake was covered in powdered sugar and judging from the splotches of dark brown showing through he assumed she'd went with the chocolate chip recipe.

The sound of her shoe slapping the tile floor told him her patience was once again wearing thin. Reluctantly he picked up the fork, cut a small triangle off the side, and jammed it in his mouth. A tense moment passed where everyone stood on pins and needles awaiting his reaction. No one appeared more nervous than Minto herself. She almost looked sorry for making him try it.

_Maybe I should've started with something simpler?_ she chewed her bottom lip nervously, _Like cold cereal or—or—toast?_

Orange eyes darted to every figure in the room before coming to rest on Minto's anxious expression. He swallowed his mouthful with a loud gulp and wiggled his feet under the table.

"Mmm!" he murmured happily, "These are great, Mama Bird!"

There was a collective sigh of relief before Minto spun round on the others, confident air and cocky grin back in place. "See? I **told** you there was nothing to worry about! I _am_ a good cook! I just needed practice."

"About six bowls worth, na no da." Pudding muttered.

"Well done Minto-san," Keiichiro congratulated her warmly, "I'm very proud of you. You'll make a fine chef yet."

"Hmph," she stuck her nose in the air primly, "I've already got a fine chef to cook my meals thank you. I just wanted to prove to all of you that I'm perfectly capable of making delicious food on my own."

Lettuce sighed. _One step forward, two steps back._

Once the café opened, the young Cyniclon spent most of the day hiding out in the dressing room doodling in some old coloring books Pudding had brought along for him. At lunch Lettuce left and came back with an assortment of children's books from the library. When he got bored with those he teleported up to Ryou's room where the elder blond taught him some computer games to play. Occasionally he'd pop back down into the kitchen to ask Keiichiro for a drink or bug Minto for a snack. The bird Mew was still irked from having to make him lunch too. He flat out _**refused **_to eat anything made by anyone else. It was utterly frustrating! –for her.

When Minto's tea time finally rolled around her first sip was interrupted by a sudden ring from her cell phone. With an annoyed groan she walked outside through the rear exit and pulled out the device.

"Moshi, moshi."

"Minto!"

Brown eyes widened as she spluttered, "I-Ichigo?"

"Hi!" the redhead chirped over the line. "I know it's been a while since I've checked in but we've been really busy over here dealing with the Chimera Animas."

"Oh, are…are there still many left?"

"Not as many as there were before. It's just a matter of catching the Predacytes before they can infect another host. But don't worry; we've got everything under control. In a few more weeks we'll have this mission all wrapped up!"

Minto smiled, her anger over the imposition Ichigo's absence had caused her melted away under the relief she felt from hearing her friend's voice again. _It means she's safe—they're all safe._ "That's good to hear."

"Yep!" the peppiness in Ichigo's tone dropped a level, "So…how are things in Tokyo? Everyone okay?"

"Oh. Um…yes! Everything's fine. We're all—fine."

The slight panic in Minto's voice hadn't gone unnoticed by the cat Mew. But rather than upset the former leader—it worried her. _I know you've got a lot on your shoulders right now Minto, but…you'd tell me if you were in trouble. Right?_

"Really?"

"Y-Yes!" the bird girl forced herself to sound cheerful. "It's the same as it always is around here. Pudding's performing tricks while Lettuce breaks dishes, Shirogane and Akasaka are still glued to those computer screens. Everything's pretty ordinary, for this place anyway."

"Oh…" Ichigo didn't seem too convinced by the response. "Well what about the—you know-," she dropped her voice to a whisper, "-the _aliens_."

Minto's eyes bulged, "The A-ALIENS?!"

"Shhh!" Ichigo hissed, "Minto calm down! Yes, the aliens, Shirogane told me about the recent Crabsect attacks."

_Oh THOSE aliens!_ The realization left the frazzled lorikeet girl so relieved she wanted to laugh. But she'd been taught how to hold her composure under such circumstances (thankfully) so she quickly managed to get a grip on herself. "You mean the _Crisects_. Don't worry about those pests. They're nothing but a nuisance for us. Why we'll have them all exterminated well before you get back."

"Are you sure? Because if you need us all you have to do is-"

"Don't bother." the response was almost mechanical, and one she was all too familiar with giving. "We can handle this Ichigo. You have a mission to complete. People could get hurt without you and the others there to battle the Chimera Animas."

For a long time all Minto could hear was the crackling sound of static in her ear. Just when she was about to consider it a lost connection and hang up Ichigo's voice replied, "Okay Minto, I'll leave it up to you three. Just be careful okay? And remember, if you _**do**_ get into trouble just say the word and we're there."

And without knowing it the two friends reflected each other's smiles, both happy and sad, uncertain and understanding.

"Thanks Ichigo." Minto blinked to clear her watery eyes. _I won't let you down. I'll keep my promise. You'll see._ "Well, ahem, I'd better get back to my tea now. My break's almost over."

"Oops," Ichigo giggled sheepishly, "sorry, Minto. I didn't mean to keep you tied up so long. Enjoy your tea!"

"I will."

"And try to do some actual work for a change."

The bird Mew grit her teeth, she could just imagine Ichigo laughing and sticking out her tongue. _I should've seen __**that**__ coming._

"I'm hanging up now."

"Wait!" the giggles stopped.

Placing the phone back to her ear Minto sighed. "What is it now?"

"I just wanted to say," the words were gentle, nostalgic, and softly spoken, "that I miss you. All of you."

The tears were back forcing Minto to bite her lower lip and take a deep breath before she could continue. "Ichigo…we uh…we miss you too. E-Everyone, that is. Good luck."

"You too," to her relief that cheerfulness had returned to Ichigo's voice, "See you soon! And don't forget to tell everyone 'hello' for me! Bye-bye!"

"I will. Give Onee-sama my regards! Bye."

From one of the second story windows two figures watched silently as the bird girl lowered the cell phone and brushed away her tears.

"You think she'll be okay, Ryou?" Keiichiro asked with obvious concern. "It's obvious she misses Ichigo-san. And she didn't mention any of the trouble we've been having."

"No, she wouldn't." Ryou sighed, "That wouldn't be like Minto. She's got a lot of responsibilities now with both Berry and Ichigo gone. It's a lot of pressure. But I think she'll be fine. She's still got Lettuce and Pudding to help."

"And us." Keiichiro placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder and grinned encouragingly.

The young genius smiled then looked back out the window to see Minto reign in her emotions and enter the building looking as poised and confident as ever. _They really are amazing girls._ "Right, they've got us. Now let's get back to our posts."

* * *

The day seemed to be free of Crisect attacks so when closing time came around, at the insistence of Ryou, Minto took her charge down to Tokyo Bay to pass a few lazy hours before heading home. 

They sat atop a small cliff overhanging the shoreline. The tall grass growing around them served to conceal his inhuman traits from the passersby below. After about an hour the scene grew quiet, save for the splashing of fish and squawking seagulls, with nobody else in sight. Minto glanced out of the corner of her eye where the young alien sat with his hands on his ankles rocking back and forth.

"_We need to know how he got here Minto. What's going on with these Crisect attacks? You have to get him to open up to you."_

Ryou's words repeated themselves over and over in her head. Exhaling sharply she broke the peaceful silence in the hopes of getting the kid to talk.

"You know, you never told us any details about how you got here." she mentioned casually without bothering to look his way, "We can't help you get home if you won't trust us."

A brief pause followed and then-

"I do trust you."

Minto turned to stare at him in surprise. "You do?"

"Yep," he nodded, presumably fascinated with plucking at the grass. "You fought off those aliens and looked after me."

"It was only one day," she reminded him. "That's not really a lot."

"It is to me," he informed her, "No one's ever done that before. Not since…"

Minto felt a pang of guilt resonate inside her as he trailed off and stopped fiddling with the grass.

Before he could resume his tale or she could inquire as to what he'd been about to say, a small brown and white speckled bird fluttered over and chirped at them. Minto held out two fingers for the bird to perch on and it eagerly hopped to her hand.

The blond watched with interest. "What's that?"

Minto glanced from the boy to the bird. "_He_ is a sandpiper." she replied matter-of-factly. "He's a seabird and he happens to be very polite."

"How can you tell?" the question was skeptical.

"Because," she informed him, "he wants to know why you looked so sad just now. He says he'll sing for you, if that'll help."

For a moment the Cyniclon just looked at the bird. The little creature tilted its head from side to side, chirping softly and bobbing up and down on Minto's fingers. A smile broke out across the child's face. "Okay, tell him I wanna hear his song."

Minto did so and watched with a small smile of her own as the little bird sang out, a merry melody both pure and sweet. Her charge seemed to enjoy it too as he watched the bird eagerly. His ears picked up every note with a clarity Minto could only dream of. When the song was done Minto raised her fingers to let it fly away but was stopped by a sudden cry of "Wait!" from the boy.

She watched him curiously as he fished around in his pant pocket and produced a small, oval-shaped object. It was twice the size of his hand yet he somehow managed to keep a good grip as he placed his fingers over the air holes and blew through the mouthpiece at the top. Both the sandpiper and Minto listened quietly while the air was filled with a new melody, much sweeter and softer, and far more expressive than the first. The tune seemed to touch the very heart of nature and spread that warmth and beauty throughout the world. Minto found she had to fight both the urge to dance and let loose her tears.

_So this is what Cyniclon music sounds like?_ she thought with reverence, _It's the most exquisite sound I've ever heard._

Apparently the bird perched on her fingers agreed, for the instant the music ceased it chirped appreciatively and flapped in place, as though applauding the young blond's performance. Both human and alien watched as the feathered creature took to the skies and flew off into the sunset.

"That was beautiful," she said at last.

"Thanks," he gave a little blush and turned back to watch the fading sunlight play off the water's surface. "I used to play like that, for my mom, all the time."

"You miss her?" it was an observation that came out as a question.

"Yeah," he nodded but didn't take his eyes away from the water. "But she's gone now. Everyone that wanted me is gone now."

Minto frowned deeply at the boy. The poor little guy was apparently all alone in the world (his home world, that is) with no one to look after him. No wonder it had meant so much to him that she'd unknowingly protected him, taken him in, and shown him some small measure of compassion. "How did you get here?" she tried again.

"I told you," he sighed, "I fell through the hole."

"The hole? You mean one of the Crisect portals?" she guessed.

"Yeah, that's it."

"What were you doing near a Crisect portal?"

"Trying not to get eaten," he replied frankly. "Those aliens have been attacking our planet a lot lately. They would've ripped me in two if I hadn't gone through that portal."

"So you coming here really was just an accident?" she muttered.

"Yep," he grabbed his ankles and started rocking again.

_Well at least I've got something to tell Shirogane now._ But there was something else she needed to know if this kid was going to be sticking around for a while.

"Okay then," she lifted her tone to get his full attention, "while you're talking, I've got another question for you."

The blond wrinkled his brow and turned to her with questioning eyes. "What's that?"

"What's your name?"

"My name?"

"Yes, what am I supposed to call you?"

A sly smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Baby Bird?"

Minto glared at him playfully. "I'm serious, what's your name?"

With a sigh he turned back toward the bay and drew up his knees. Resting his chin atop them he thought for a moment. Sure she was a nice lady, as far as alien girls went, but did he really want to give her his name? It wasn't that big of a deal he guessed. Still, he hadn't used it in so long, his mother had been the last person to say it out loud and he kinda wanted to keep it that way. Coming here had been like a fresh start for him. New planet, new home, new mother—figure…why not get a new name too?

"Hey," he spoke just as Minto was beginning to wonder if he'd drifted off on a daydream, "what did you say that animal was? The one that stood on your fingers?"

"The seabird?"

"Yeah," he glanced at her, "what kind of bird was it?"

Minto arched a brow, she didn't see what it had to do with his name, but she decided to humor him. "A sandpiper. Why?"

"Sandpiper," he repeated, mulling something over in his mind. "Well then, why don't you just call me that?"

"Riiight," Minto pulled a bland face. _Kids. _"You want me to walk around calling you 'Sandpiper'?"

"Or just Piper," he smiled sunnily at a random point in the distance, "whichever you like best."

Minto smiled too and shook her head. _It __**does**__ have a nice ring to it._

"Piper it is then." she giggled and ruffled his blond locks playfully.

"Hey! Ahahaha!" Piper laughed and wriggled about when she tickled him. "Knock it off! Mama Bird!!"

And so both found themselves with new names to match their new lives which would certainly never be the same.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	3. A Common Enemy, Promise Me

**A/N**: To my gracious reviewer I want to say a big 'Thank you!' and let you know that I've really enjoyed your comments on my story, opinions, and writing style. I look forward to your reviews when I post because I know you take the time to leave me detailed feedback that's a lot of fun to read. So yes, a big thanks to you and if anyone else would like to add their thoughts then please do (but no flames please). I do enjoy hearing from the readers. Heck, half the time I'm a reader/reviewer myself.

Oh, and a quick explanation: I'm using 'Tart' and 'Kish' as nicknames for Taruto and Kisshu. Same with the whole 'Mint' for Minto thing (since their names and attacks differ depending on the manga, series, and version). Trying to bridge the gap between the manga, its sequel, and the series has been an _interesting_ challenge. Well, enjoy the story!

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Three: A Common Enemy, Promise Me

Inside the glittering mass of stars and planets known as the Milky Way Galaxy a bright white flash briefly illuminated the darkened side of Neptune. The Cyniclon spaceship had just successfully completed another hyper jump through space toward its prime destination—Earth.

"Deceleration engaged, hyper jump completed, fuel cells recharging," Pai sounded off in his monotonous tone. "We have successfully entered the target solar system and are now approximately 2.68 billion miles from the third planet."

"And I'm about 2.68 seconds from—_yawn_—falling asleep." Kisshu replied unenthusiastically from his station. "Can't believe we've gotta float around out here in the boondocks waiting for those stupid fuel cells to recharge."

"Hyper jumps require a lot of energy to run smoothly, you know that."

"Heh, whatever." the green haired alien folded his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair, "We've made it this far with one jump left to go. I just hope those stupid cells don't take forever to power up this time."

"The cells are functioning properly, Kisshu." an edge of irritation lined Pai's voice. He'd almost forgotten how bothersome flying through space with his impatient comrades could be.

Behind them the control room doors slid open. Teleportation was a waste of energy when one only had a short distance to go. In Taruto's case, it was a quick trip to the bathroom and back. Traveling via hyper jumps tended to cause him motion sickness.

"Ugggghhh…" the youngest of the three-person crew stood clutching the metal doorframe for balance. Hunched over with his tongue out and abnormally green complexion Taruto struggled to gain his bearings before wobbling over to his chair and plopping down. "Are we _there_ yet?" he whined (for about the fiftieth time).

Pai's right eyebrow twitched. "No Tart, we are not!"

"Well hurry it up already!" the brunet snapped. "Kish keeps poking me with his stupid Dragon Swords!"

"And they're not even real swords," he added in a mumble.

"Real enough to do this," Kisshu snickered and jabbed the back of Taruto's seat again causing the young teen to yelp and shoot him a nasty glare.

Violet eyes watched the gage for the fuel cells gradually slide toward the first of three notches. Behind him Taruto and Kisshu continued to squabble over one pointless issue after another.

"You're such a baby Tart!"

"Am not, ya big jerk!"

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Am NOT!"

"Are _too_."

"Grr…shut up Kish! Don't make me come over there!"

"I'd like to see ya try it, **squirt**."

"That's it!"

_CRASH!_

_SCUFFLE!_

_THUMP!_

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

"Uh-oh…"

This was going to be the longest nine hours of his life.

Placing a hand to his aching forehead Pai shut his eyes and moaned, "Humans are so lucky they never have to deal with this."

* * *

A week had passed since the arrival of the little blond Cyniclon who now went by the name of 'Piper'. It had taken everyone a while to get used to him at first but soon the alien child became a regular member of the team. Like an adorable mascot, as Pudding had put it. 

Ryou had even taken the time to create a device that would holographically cloak the boy's alien features (namely the elf ears and orange eyes) and allow him to appear human. It was a considerably easy task, considering the amount of work and time the Mew project had required. Of course the cloaking device demanded a lot of energy so it couldn't go more than eight hours without recharging. But the teen genius was already tinkering with plans that would prolong its 'battery-life', so to speak. At any rate, Piper could now go out in public without attracting too much attention. And Minto had plans to enroll him in school once the summer vacation was over. That in itself proved to the others that she and Piper had formed a bond.

And that bond, it seemed, was only growing stronger. The bird Mew had become increasingly protective of Piper, which was most evident when he got caught up in their battles. The Crisects were relentless with their attacks on Tokyo. And the attacks were so random now that many times the Mews had found themselves caught completely off guard when the enemy appeared in their barrage of portals. Lettuce and Pudding had experienced one particularly close call while shopping for groceries one deceptively peaceful afternoon.

* * *

"Hanacha! Chincha! Lucha! Honcha! Heicha!" Pudding called out to her siblings as they scurried ahead of her along the sidewalk. "Get back here right now! You know you have to wait until the sign turns green before you cross the street!" 

Lettuce was having an easier time of it walking alongside her younger brother Uri. The boy was remarkably mature for his age, and thankfully, much better behaved than the others. The green haired girl smiled down at him appreciatively as they arrived at the corner and waited for the crosswalk sign to change.

In front of them Pudding's four little brothers and young Heicha waited anxiously for the lighted symbols to switch. The monkey Mew managed to command them all to attention before a mass of children could explode out into the street. And when the 'go ahead' was signaled, all five marched single-file between the painted white lines of the crosswalk. Lettuce shook her head, it was amazing the way Pudding was able to take charge of such a rowdy bunch. _But they're still a cute family. _she mused, _She's got the stamina of twelve moms._

They were less than five feet from the supermarket when a swirling black vortex appeared.

"Hey! Look at that!" Hanacha exclaimed as he pointed to the dark spectrum of colors spiraling toward its center.

"It's a black hole!" Lucha announced with equal excitement.

"Oh no!" Pudding and Lettuce gasped, "The Crisects!"

"Cri-sects?" the two boys exchanged bewildered glances.

"Aliens!" Heicha cried just as one of the hulking lobster-bugs set a segmented appendage through the portal.

With only a split second to react the two teens gave each other a curt nod. Then Lettuce turned to her brother and grasped him firmly by the shoulders. "Uri," the boy regarded her with wide eyes, "you're the oldest here, so I'm counting on you to get the other children to safety."

She pointed to the bakery they'd passed before crossing the street. "I want you to take the others into that shop while Pudding-san and I go for help. Don't come back out until I say so. Do you understand?"

She had to repeat her question once more before Uri finally snapped out of his daze and nodded quickly.

"Good, now go!"

In a flurry of pounding feet, honking horns, and startled cries the olive haired boy managed to herd the others back to the bakery. Lettuce and Pudding dunked behind the nearest abandoned vehicle to transform.

"Mew Mew Pudding Metamorphosis!"

"Mew Mew Lettuce Metamorphosis!"

A raspy cry from the Crisect signaled the start of battle. While motorists leapt from their cars, or frantically crashed them as they scrambled to get away, the Mews squared off with what were now TWO enraged Crisects.

"Another one must've come out while we were transforming, na no da!" Mew Pudding concluded, already in her battle-ready stance.

"We must stop them before they open another portal!" Mew Lettuce shouted then launched the first attack. "Lettuce Castanets! Reborn Lettuce Rush!"

But the water assault wasn't enough to push back her attacker. The rightmost Crisect lunged for her and sent her flying back with one swipe of its oversized pincher.

"AAAHH!" she cried out as she slid down the dented newspaper machine.

The sound of change clinking as it hit the pavement caused Mew Pudding to glance back. "Mew Lettuce!"

"I'm okay," her companion winced, "Mew Pudding! Behind you!"

But the warning came too late. By the time she turned back, the blonde Mew found herself trapped in the second alien's pincher. The pressure was _**immense**_!

"So this…is how…it all ends…na no da?" Mew Pudding gasped as her captor clamped down tighter. "Pudding doesn't want to die split in half by an ugly bug monster, NA NO DA!!"

"Hold on!" Mew Lettuce struggled to her feet and rushed toward the pair but was quickly tackled to the ground by the first Crisect she'd forgotten. "Eeeyyaaahh!!"

From the corner of her eye Mew Pudding could see her friend scrambling to break free of the Crisect that had pinned her to the sidewalk.

Luckily, at the moment, their salvation appeared in the form of Minto and Piper. The two had been out shopping for new clothes since Piper was in desperate need of something besides his desert ensemble and the baggy shirts Minto kept 'borrowing' from her brother's closet. The two had spent the first part of the battle obliviously waiting in line to checkout a few stores down.

"Lettuce! Pudding!" Minto dropped her bags at the entrance to the department store and turned to her charge, "Piper! Stay here! I have to help fight!"

"But I wanna help t-"

"NO!" the bird Mew shouted in a tone that was not to be argued with, "It's too dangerous! Stay. Here!"

By now the street was completely deserted. The previous bystanders had either evacuated the area or were cowering inside the many shops afraid to chance being attacked by the giant bug/crustacean hybrids.

"Mew Mew Minto Metamorphosis!"

"AAAAHHH!!!" Mew Pudding's screams grew more desperate when the Crisect again strengthened its hold around her. It honestly felt as though her lower half would snap off any second and go plopping down onto the ground. _Like a botched attempt at the old 'saw a lady in half' trick, na no da!_

"Mint Tone Arrow! Reborn Mint Echo!"

That attack left the Crisect screeching in pain as it jerked back its nearly severed pincher and released its captive in the process. Mew Pudding fell to the sidewalk with an unceremonious "omphf!"

Mew Minto wasted no time in firing a second shot at the Crisect hovering over Mew Lettuce. The creature hissed in pain as the arrow made contact with its head. The green Mew used the opportunity to kick him aside and free herself. However, Minto noticed, she wasn't without injury.

"Mew Lettuce! Your shoulder!"

"It's just a scratch," the porpoise Mew bravely assured her while she used one hand as a compress to slow the bleeding. "Thank you, Mew Minto, for saving me."

"What are friends for?" Mew Minto managed weakly.

"MAMA BIRD! WATCH OUT!"

But she never had a chance to look back. The other Crisect had recovered enough to counter with a harsh blow from behind. Azure eyes shrank from the pain that the forceful hit between her shoulder blades sent shooting through her body. Mew Minto instantly slumped forward where her companion managed to catch her and narrowly dodge the next blow.

_CRACK!_

Mew Pudding cringed at the sound of its pincher splitting the sidewalk where her friends had just been standing. _This isn't good, na no da!_ She struggled to stand from her position leaning against the brick wall. _I still can't feel my arms, na no da!_

The gut wrenching sounds had been too much for her youngest sibling to take. Without knowing whether or not her big sister was safe little Heicha broke away from Uri and raced outside the bakery. Her amber eyes widened at the sight of the aliens slowly lurching toward the two Mews.

For the moment, Mew Pudding had been forgotten by her enemies, who now seemed intent on ripping Mew Lettuce and Mew Minto limb from limb. The pain in her arms and mid-torso was so excruciating that was she not a highly disciplined fighter—she would've been screaming to the heavens in agony already! And just when it looked like things couldn't get worse…

"EEEEEIIIIIIYYYAAAA!!!"

…they did.

Poor Heicha couldn't help it, when she saw one of the bug monsters slam the blue and green Mews into the lamppost she had instinctively screamed in response. And that—was a very bad idea. The aliens split up, one was intent on finishing off the two Mews, and the second had its beady black eyes set on **her**.

"HEICHA!!"

The other Mews watched in horror as the thing advanced on Pudding's sister who stood rooted to her spot in terror. The monkey Mew scrambled to get to her feet and launch an attack, but with her arms still not working and most of her lower half either numb or racked with pain, she simply wasn't going to reach her in time.

That's when another figure teleported into its path.

Mew Minto's eyes widened. _Piper!_

"Reborn Lettuce Rush!"

This time the blast of water succeeded in repelling the Crisect that had chosen them for a target. When it hit the pavement back-first Mew Lettuce turned to her companion, "Hurry Mew Minto! Before it gets up! I'll hold off this alien while you help the children!"

But it proved unnecessary as Piper produced his ocarina and blew out a sharp, high pitched note that shattered nearby glass windows and windshields and sent the charging Crisect rushing back the other way. The vibrations from the sharp-toned blast scrambled his cloaking device and caused it to malfunction to the point of shutting off completely.

A soft gasp from behind him warned his secret was out.

"Piper!" Minto—now back to normal after being slammed with the ultra powerful sound waves—dropped down in front of him and started checking for injuries.

"I'm fine," he protested with an embarrassed blush, "Wish I'd known that could work earlier."

Minto's face drained of color. "You mean you DIDN'T know it would work?!"

The young blond shook his head and tucked the instrument away.

Behind him Heicha couldn't resist the urge to reach out and touch one of his long, elfish ears. The sensation caused Piper to immediately jerk back and whip around. Orange eyes met amber as the two stared at each other with mixed emotions. The Cyniclon was panicked, surprised, and a little annoyed. Heicha was equally surprised, but also curious and full of gratitude.

"What'd you do that for?" he demanded.

Heicha closed her eyes and smiled brightly, "You saved Heicha! Thank you, na no da!"

Behind him Minto and Pudding (who had just arrived) giggled at the scene. It was all too familiar to Pudding's past interactions with another certain pig-tailed Cyniclon. _Heicha's a chip off the ol' block, na no da!_

Piper was blushing so hard even his ears had gone pink. "S-So?"

"So that makes you Heicha's **friend**, no da!"

An audible gulp was heard. "Wh-What?!"

But before he could find the ability to protest the tiny blonde had him trapped in a lung-crushing bear hug. "Best friend! Best friend! Best friend, na no da!" she chanted happily, "Heicha has a new best friend, na no da!"

Piper pushed her away the instant she let go and stared at her as though she'd grown another head. _What's the matter with this human?_ he wondered, _And why's she talk like Pudding?_

"Thank you for saving Heicha, Piper-chan!" Pudding spoke up from behind Minto. "It was very brave, na no da."

"Right," Minto nodded solemnly with closed eyes, "but don't **ever** do it again."

Lettuce stood back a few feet and puzzled over the events that had just taken place. _So Piper-san can use his instrument as a weapon? I wonder if that's unusual for Cyniclons. They each seem to have some form of weapon that's unique to their talents. But that was so powerful. Maybe…maybe it has something to do with his background? Aoyama-san was exceptionally powerful too, especially as the Blue Knight and-_ she fought back a shudder, _-Deep Blue._

"Onee-chan!"

"Huh?" the porpoise Mew looked up to find her little brother rushing toward her with a crowd of small boys right on his heels. It was a good thing Piper's ocarina deactivated their transformation.

"Onee-chan!" Uri flung his arms around her in relief. "I thought you were coming back for us? I'm sorry, Onee-chan. I-I couldn't stop her."

"It's alright," a soft smile formed on Lettuce's face. "You did your best."

"Heicha," Pudding scolded, "that was very bad! You shouldn't have run away like that."

"Sorry, 'nee-chan." the little blonde apologized absently as she tried to peer around Minto where Piper was hiding.

Uri caught sight of his shadow and tilted his head in confusion. "Hey, who's that behind Minto-san?"

Piper stood with his back against Minto's calves and both ears clutched tightly against his cheeks. _Oh great!_ he whined. _Why'd my disguise have to break down too?!_

"Oh! Um…" Minto laughed nervously and put her arms behind her back. In a lightning-fast move she knelt down, scooped him up, and backed away with the little Cyniclon clutched out-of-view behind her back. "…well I'll just be going now! I-I still have to hit the shoe store before heading home. Mustn't be late or I'll miss afternoon tea!"

Everyone watched as she dropped something into the largest shopping bag, gathered her things, and hustled away. "Bye!"

Heicha waved enthusiastically, "Bye-bye Piper-chan! Thanks again, no da!"

And so Pudding and Lettuce were left to answer the inevitable question:

"Who's Piper-chan?"

* * *

"So as far as the boys know, Piper is a member of the Aizawa family who'll be living with Minto for a while?" Ryou's voice was filled with skepticism as he stared at the two Mews before him. 

"Y-Yes," Lettuce nodded sheepishly, "of course there were a lot of 'whys' that followed b-but we managed to convince them that Piper had 'personal reasons' for coming here that we shouldn't talk about right now."

Ryou sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Alright, I guess that'll have to work until we can think up a better cover story. Thankfully it was only kids we were dealing with…this time. Keiichiro and I will have to create some fake records or something if he winds up staying here past the summer though."

"You mean if Minto-san enrolls him in school?" Lettuce questioned.

"Yeah," he affirmed, "though I'm still not sure that's such a good idea. We don't even know if this arrangement's gonna be permanent yet."

"Of course it will, na no da!" Pudding exclaimed. "Piper loves it here!"

"Maybe so," Ryou actually smiled, "but let's not forget that he's still a Cyniclon surrounded by humans. And the first Cyniclons the public came in contact with, though they eventually came around, didn't leave such a good impression."

"Mmm…" Keiichiro murmured thoughtfully from his ever-constant vigil in front of the monitors, "…and we're still trying to tie up the loose ends they left behind when all those Chimera Animas got away."

They still weren't sure how that had happened but somehow the warped beasts had managed to slip out (possibly unnoticed by the aliens) and spread. A few had even stowed away on an airplane headed to America where Zakuro had gone to promote her newest album released that summer. A few days later she'd called the Café with an urgent announcement that the Chimera Animas had worked their way into the San Diego Zoo and were now terrorizing the populous! That's when Ichigo and Berry had flown over to help her stop the monsters before they multiplied further. Aoyama and Tasuku naturally went along to protect them and help whenever possible. So far their progress had been good but Ryou and Keiichiro still suspected some sort of alien or manmade catalyst was behind the spread.

"What about your wounds?" Ryou asked suddenly to change the subject. "How did you explain those?"

"Oh, my shoulder," Lettuce gingerly placed a hand over the bandage. "Uri asked me what happened but I just said I'd fallen and scraped it when I went for help. I think he believed me."

Pudding frowned at the green haired teen, she too felt guilty about lying to her siblings. "Pudding couldn't think of a good excuse so she said she got hurt while trying to rescue Heicha, na no da."

"And your sister went along with that?" Keiichiro asked.

"Mm-hmm," Pudding nodded, "Heicha was confused at first but later I explained that it's important that we keep our identities secret, na no da. And she promised to do the same for Piper too, na no da."

"Okay then," Ryou exhaled, "sounds like everything's covered. The broken windows will probably be blamed on the Crisects so we shouldn't have to worry about that. This city's seen worse than shattered glass and dented lampposts."

"The bad thing is," Lettuce mentioned worriedly, "that they seem to think the new aliens are somehow related to the Chimera Animas the Cyniclons made."

Ryou blinked, "Maybe that's a good thing?"

"But it's not their fault!" she protested with more vigor than she was prone to show.

"That's right, na no da!" Pudding agreed, "Taru-Taru didn't make those ugly monsters! It's not fair to let him take the blame, na no da!"

"Hahh…_life's_ not fair Mew Mews," Ryou sighed exasperatedly. "For now all we can do is battle the Crisects and try to make sure no one gets hurt."

"But we don't even know where they came from or what they want." Lettuce pointed out.

"That's right," Pudding struck her infamous thinking pose, "one must know their enemy to have any hope of defeating them, na no da."

Ryou rolled his eyes as Keiichiro chuckled. "Only time and research will tell."

With their debriefing over the girls headed back upstairs into the dining area. One of the perks of having two scientists running the café was that whenever there was a lot of research to be done the two usually closed up shop for the day. Ryou was a stickler for keeping up appearances but didn't want to tolerate a crowd upstairs while he was buried in his work.

"Ahhh…!" Pudding sighed happily as she pushed open the double doors and stepped outside into the fresh afternoon air. "Pudding is glad to be back outdoors where it's nice and sunny, na no da."

Lettuce found she had to agree. The gentle breeze and clear blue sky were a much more welcome sight than the dimly lit basement/home base in the café.

"It's so relaxing to come out here and listen to the birds sing and watch the butterflies flutter around after a battle."

Suddenly the space above them darkened and started to ripple.

"Yo!" a familiar voice called from the sky.

"Wha-?!" Pudding glanced up to find her estranged alien friend hovering a short ways above her.

"Got anymore of that candy?"

The petit blonde's face instantly broke out into an ecstatic smile. "Taru-Taru!!"

Taruto flashed a cocky grin and pulled his ankles in tighter. "Heh."

Though understandably shocked at first, Lettuce found herself beaming at Pudding's antics. It felt nice to bask in her overjoyed expressions as the blonde hopped and tumbled about in elation chanting, "Hooray! Taru-Taru, Pudding's best bud, has _**returned**_, na no da!"

"We meet again," a monotone voice greeted.

Pudding stopped celebrating when she saw Lettuce's eyes widen in shock as they fell upon the floating figure of a black and lavender clad alien.

"P-Pai-san?"

The alien genius nodded and sported one of his rare, non-menacing smiles. "Lettuce-san, it is good to see you again."

Her blue eyes welled with tears. The last time she saw him had been after the earthshaking battle with Deep Blue. Her dreams were still haunted by the image of him standing there, both huge fans drawn; he had fired an attack that was meant to shield them against the oncoming blast from the massive base that hovered above. Unfortunately, he'd been killed in the process.

_But then_, she recalled,_ to my—__**our**__—great relief, he was resurrected by the healing power of the Mew Aqua. And he even helped save us again when he and his friends teleported us off the collapsing base. They saved all of Tokyo that day. Without their help…_

Unable to contain her swirling emotions anymore she launched herself toward the descending alien, arms spread wide, with a shower of tears left in her wake. "PAI-SAN!"

He easily caught her as his feet touched the ground. The two stood there that way, locked in a firm yet comforting embrace, and just relished the moment of being reunited at long last…as friends.

_Too long... It's been__** far**__ too long without knowing. I couldn't help but worry!_

_Hm, as emotional as ever. But at least now she's crying _for_ me, and not _because_ of me._

A third alien looked on. He was back too, but knew there would be no happy, teary eyed girl there to greet him. Even if Ichigo had been present for their arrival, she didn't hold the same kind of fondness for him as her companions did for his.

_Still_, Kisshu managed a smile in spite of it all, _it's good to see Taruto and Pai so happy again._

And deep down, he had to admit, he had missed Earth too.

It really was a beautiful planet, full of life and natural wonders; each organism was more fascinating than the last. The views were nothing short of spectacular, even given the environmental damage (which, thankfully, the humans had become more active in repairing).

As he hovered there and watched the happy reunions between his comrades and their one-time enemies, he couldn't help but think that perhaps the Cyniclons and humans had more in common than they realized. (Regardless of what Pai had once so vehemently denied.) And that thought brought to mind a certain pink-haired, starry eyed, ever-hopeful Mew.

_Ichigo…_

He briefly caught a snippet of the conversation below that mentioned his beloved cat-eared girl, her precious boyfriend, the scary wolf Mew, and two other humans he'd never heard of before. Something about 'an emergency mission overseas'? At any rate, she was gone. It had been over a year since their last encounter. Of course, it would be nothing short of a bold faced lie to deny that he had thought about her—at least once—every day since. And Kisshu was through lying to himself. Sadly, that included holding onto the vain hope that she might someday return his affection. No, as hard as it had been on him, he had finally come to terms with that fact that he and Ichigo would never be.

_But- _he thought with his gaze still fixed on the scene below, -_at least I know she's happy. And safe. And…loved._

An image of Masaya Aoyama flashed before him. In his mind's eye he could see them, together: laughing, chatting, hugging, kissing, and growing closer every day. Not too long ago such thoughts would've immediately spurred him into a jealous rage. He could still remember raving, fighting, and lashing out like a maniac when Ichigo had stubbornly refused him and rushed to the side of her human (well, partially human) lover again and again. But now, after all that had happened, after Ichigo…sacrificed herself, for the happiness and well-being of everyone she cared for—even him—he could harbor no more hostility toward the pair. She'd said it herself, Aoyama was the most important person in the world to her. They were in love. Real, undying love. And there was no beating that.

_Hn_, Kisshu bowed his head and allowed a ghost of a grin to tug at his lips, _I guess Pai was right then. I really __**am**__ maturing. Damn._

He always did hate it when that smug genius was right.

Speaking of which…

"WHAT?" Pai blinked and drew back in disbelief.

"Oooh, a kid came here from our planet eh?" Taruto looked intrigued.

Kisshu's eyes widened. He lowered himself until he was floating just above the others yet off to the side and out of sight of the Mews.

"Yep," Pudding explained, "he says his name is 'Piper' and he got here accidentally when he fell through one of the holes the Crisects made, na no da."

"The Crisects?" Pai was thoughtful for a moment. His eyes were distant and downcast as he mulled over the new dilemma. From what they had described about those aliens they were no doubt the same invaders who kept attacking their own planet. "Then things are more serious than we thought." he spoke at last.

"Pai-san?" Lettuce questioned.

Violet orbs instantly snapped up. Pai had gone serious again with his eyes hard and expressionless like back in the days when the Mews and Cyniclons were still enemies. That caused her to shiver.

"It appears that the Earth is now facing the same crisis as our people."

"Wh-What?" the green Mew gasped.

"Hm." Pai nodded sternly. "Recently our planet has also been plagued by sporadic attacks from the creatures you call Crisects. While our research has yielded no conclusive cause for their arrival we are certain that these creatures are entirely hostile and beyond reasoning."

"Grr," Taruto growled and clenched his fists, "those stupid jerks are wrecking everything! Terrorizing our people and popping up all over the place!"

"So then these portals _are_ like a means of teleportation for them?" Lettuce asked.

"Correct," Pai agreed, "in fact, it may be our species own frequent acts of teleportation that led them to us in the first place."

She seemed surprised by this. Even Pudding stopped fidgeting and gave her full attention to the taller alien.

"Teleportation is a complex method of travel that only a few known species throughout the universe have managed to master." he explained. "The Cyniclons have been using it for millennia but until recently we had never given much thought to the many drawbacks such a seemingly convenient method could pose. It does, in fact, put a strain on the dimensions surrounding us. Leaving such areas of space emanating faintly with our residual energies once we've jumped to a new location. You may think of it as a way of creating miniature wormholes which appear and fade out in a matter of seconds."

"And yet the energy stays behind." Lettuce frowned when she understood what Pai had been driving at.

"Yes, and that energy takes quite a while to completely dissipate." he stated grimly. "Leaving a pulsing beacon behind for other races to detect and investigate."

"I see," Lettuce lowered her head in dismay, "so that's how the Crisects found you. And—most likely—it's how they found us."

"Correct."

"Huh?!" Pudding interrupted, she'd been completely lost throughout the whole conversation. "What do you mean? Pudding doesn't understand how Crisects could find Earth when we can't teleport like Pai onii-chan and Taru-Taru, na no da!"

The smaller alien folded his arms behind his head in a careless manner. "Tsch, it doesn't matter if humans can teleport. Weren't you listening? As long as teleporting occurs the Crisects can trace its signals and use the leftover energy to make their portals and raid the planet. So since _we_ teleported around Tokyo the whole time _we _were _here_, the energy was there for _**them**_ to trace."

His carefree attitude suddenly faded and left both Cyniclons staring guiltily at the ground. Lettuce and Pudding exchanged uneasy glances. The mood had certainly shifted fast.

"Well then," another voice broke the heavy silence as Kisshu floated down into view, "what's everyone standing around for? We've got a lot of work to do if we want to save our planets."

"Kisshu-san?" Lettuce jumped at his sudden appearance.

The green haired alien looked as calm and nonchalant as ever. The same smug grin was plastered on his pale face. His eyes flashed with confidence as he spoke, "Heh, and with only three Mews to help us out, we're just lucky the teleportation was concentrated here."

Suddenly Lettuce wished she hadn't taken the time to explain to Pai why the other Mews were absent.

"That's right," Pai looked as though an important thought had just struck him, "you said there was a child from our planet here too, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"He's with Minto onee-chan!" Pudding added helpfully.

"Okay then," Kisshu shrugged, "just contact your friend and have her meet us here. We can make a plan of attack before the Crisects show up again."

"Right," the girls nodded.

* * *

Minto and Piper arrived back at the Aizawa mansion exhausted from a day of clothes shopping and alien smashing. For the second time in the past half hour the little Cyniclon reluctantly hid inside the largest shopping bag so Minto could smuggle him up to her room. Momentarily she wondered what she'd do once the kid hit a growth spurt but by then she figured he'd probably have a better teleportation range too. 

_Ungh…I already know more about Cyniclons than I ever wanted to thanks to this kid._

"Out shopping again Miss Minto? My, my it looks as though you've bought the store."

_Crap._

"O-Oh, h-hi Nana."

Piper froze and listened inside the bag. The little old lady sounded harmless enough but he bet that'd change in a hurry if she found him sneaking in.

"Shall I call one of the servants to help you with those packages?"

"NO!"

The blond alien winced at the shrill response. _Way to play it smooth, Mama Bird._

Luckily Minto caught herself and coughed quickly into her hand. "I mean, ahem, no thank you, Nana. I think I can manage."

The elderly woman blinked curiously at the young mistress. "Well…all right then, Miss. If you're sure you can handle all that on your own."

"Yes, thank you, Nana." Minto nodded and smiled politely then proceeded up the stairs—a little awkwardly—with the armload of packages and shopping bags.

_Teenagers today_, the elderly lady shook her head as she watched Minto depart, _so adamant about their independence._

Minto sighed as she entered her room, set the bags down, and leaned back to the shut the door. Piper wiggled around until the bag overturned while she slid down the door panel and watched with tired amusement.

"That was close."

The blond staggered backwards a few paces before righting himself and grinning toward her. "I'm surprised _you _didn't break anything when you screamed like that."

The lorikeet girl stuck out her tongue. "Fine, next time _I'll_ hide in the bag and _you_ can haul everything upstairs."

"Hmph, I'd just teleport." Piper crossed his arms and stuck his nose up smugly. (One of the habits he'd adopted that showed Lettuce and Pudding he was starting to take after Minto.)

To that Minto laughed, "You wouldn't make it past the lobby."

"Hey! It's not MY fault I can't go farther! I'm only six, ya know?"

"Is that in Earth or Cyniclon years?" the bird Mew smirked.

"It's Earth years!"

"And how would you know how long those are, hm?" she propped her chin on her knees; teasing Piper was so much fun. _He's such a cute little guy when he's angry._

"Lettuce told me!" he stamped his foot for emphasis (again, Minto's influence). "We figured it out one day when Pudding wanted to know."

"So you've finally warmed up to them?" her look couldn't get anymore smug if she tried.

A pink blush spread over the boy's cheeks. Tangerine colored eyes were immediately downcast. "Yeah, I guess so."

Minto smiled a genuine smile as she watched him drag his toe across the floor in a half circle pattern. Those elongated elf ears added an adorable touch to the miniature Cyniclon as he tried to play off his shyness. Minto had suspected for a while now that he was shy around girls. While with guys (like Ryou and Keiichiro) he tended to display a lingering mistrust of strangers.

"Hey, Mama Bird-"

The blue Mew snapped out of her thoughts and lifted her head from her knees. "Hm?"

Piper quickly ducked his head back down, "-what are you going to do about those alien monsters?"

Minto let out a small yawn and stretched her legs out in front of her. "I don't know. We'll just have to keep fighting them until they give up and go away I guess."

"Why?"

Leave it to a kid to have that one word question handy.

"Because someone's got to fight them or they'll takeover our planet."

"But why are _**you **_the one who has to fight 'em?"

The bird Mew shrugged. "It's my job. I'm a Mew Mew. Protecting the planet is what the Mew Mews do."

Piper bit down on his lip and cast his gaze to the side. "But…but what if something happens and you get hurt, or—or…"

Finally catching on Minto frowned at her troubled charge. "Aw Piper, are you worried about me?"

Silence followed then a small nod.

Her frown broke out into a soft smile.

"I've already lost one mom," he muttered sadly, "I don't want it to happen again."

The pang was back in Minto's chest though her smile remained soft and understanding. In her most comforting voice the Mew tried to assure him that his fears wouldn't come true. "I'm not going anywhere Piper. So don't worry. No matter how many times the Earth is attacked, I'll always be there for you. You won't have to lose me like you lost your mom."

Inwardly Minto knew it was risky to make such a vow but still she felt compelled to do it. And she'd certainly do her best to stand by it, for Piper's sake.

The young Cyniclon stared at the floor in thought for a while before glancing her way. "You promise?"

"I promise," she declared, "I won't let you down."

And suddenly a flashback from a previous conversation hit.

"_You're the best one for the job Minto. So I'm counting on you to handle things while I'm gone, nyah?"_

Ichigo's voice rang out in her mind as clear and imploring as the day they'd said their good-byes. It'd been a year since the ordeal with the Cyniclons and the cat Mew knew her team well enough to know which of them would make the best leader in her absence. So in confidence she had turned to Minto before boarding her flight to America. The bird Mew remembered their brief talk all too well.

"_Mm, you know I take it seriously, Ichigo. More than you most of the time."_

The redhead had grinned at the truly Minto-like response. _"Yeah, I know. It's just…if something happens, there won't be many of you left, so…watch out for them, okay?"_

"_All right, I will." _And that's when she'd felt the full weight of the responsibility she'd just accepted bear down on her shoulders.

An announcement was made that the plane was boarding, last call.

"_Ichigo!"_ Aoyama called from the gate. _"Time to go! Berry and Tasuku-san are waiting for us!"_

"_Coming!"_ The pink Mew rushed toward the terminal then called back over her shoulder while waving good-bye. _"Bye-bye Minto! Take good care of our friends!"_

"_Okay!"_

"_Promise me!"_

"_I promise! Take care of Onee-sama!"_ she'd added hastily.

"_I will!"_ and with that, the pair was gone.

Minto had stood before the row of glass windows and watched the plane carrying her friends take to the sky and soar off into the puffy white clouds.

"_Good luck…" _wide eyes reflected the plane as it became a tiny black dot in the distance,_ "…come back soon."_

The sound of a ring tone brought Minto out of her daze to find Piper passing his hand in front of her face.

"Maaamaaa Biiird! Hello?"

Giving him a playful push she dug through her handbag until her fingers brushed the cell phone. "Moshi, moshi!"

A sharp gasp followed as she listened with impossibly wide eyes. _It can't be true! Why now? Why on MY watch? What do they want?_

"Hm?" Piper watched her quizzically and tilted his head to the side. "Who is it Mama Bird? What's wrong?"

"It's Lettuce," Minto replied as she hung up the phone, of course she knew perfectly well that with those ears Piper didn't need to ask, "she says we need to meet her at the café. The…the Cyniclons are back."

Now it was Piper's turn to look surprised.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	4. A Plan of Action, Emotions on the Rise

**A/N**: In this chapter it's mentioned that Cyniclons have lower body temperatures than humans. If you've read volume 5 of the manga Ichigo shivers when the Blue Knight kisses her because his lips are cold. In the anime the Cyniclons (aside from not needing oxygen to breathe…or being able to go without it for longer than humans) can stay submerged in cold water without showing signs of freezing. And although they've been shown to get sweaty and sluggish during hot weather I've never seen them shiver or catch cold. So that's where I got the idea to put that trait in this story (i.e. I didn't just make it up). I'm also assuming that their immunity systems are stronger than your average humans as well. Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad to hear back from more readers. Hope you like this next installment.

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Four: A Plan of Action, Emotions on the Rise

When Minto arrived with Piper she found everyone had moved down into the basement for cover and convenience (since most of the equipment was down there). Keiichiro sat in front of the main monitor pulling up some files while Ryou stood a ways behind him trying to look as casual as possible though his eyes remained focused with his mouth drawn in a tight line.

The blue Mew forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat and appear unaffected when all eyes fell upon her as she entered the room.

Ryou was the first to address her. "Minto, is Piper with you?"

_Typical, it's always straight to the point with him._ she cringed. But before she had a chance to respond the Cyniclon appeared in his usual place, hovering just above her shoulder. Since there was no point in disguises he remained in his true form.

"Yeah, I'm here." came his simple reply.

"Good," Ryou nodded and turned to the other Cyniclons, "As you can see he's perfectly fine. Minto's been taking good care of him since the day he arrived here through the portal. Right, Minto?"

She let her gaze drop to the floor and muttered a small, "Mmh."

Piper scanned the alien trio with skeptical eyes. Sure they had brought back enough of that strange stuff called 'Mew Aqua' to restore the planet and save their species, but that didn't make them trustworthy in his book. They'd been following orders and acting off desperation then. What if they decided to haul him back there whether he wanted to go or not? Which, by the way, he didn't.

The eldest Cyniclon studied him quietly while Kisshu and Taruto looked on with varying interest. "So then it's true," he surmised, "one of our own really did travel here through a Crisect portal."

"Yo!" Taruto threw up a hand and teleported over. "I'm Taruto. What's your name kid?"

Piper tensed and drew back slightly. Minto glanced uneasily in his direction and saw he was floating with his arms crossed, mouth clamped shut, and eyes glaring daggers at the trio. _Something tells me this isn't going well…_

"Huh?" Taruto tilted his head to the side, "What's the matter? Can't you talk?"

Before the blond could snap at him for that comment Kisshu spoke up and dismissed the matter with a casual wave. "Aw stop bugging him, Tart. He's probably just nervous."

"Okay," Taruto relented with his grin still in place, "he seems kinda uptight anyway."

But Minto wouldn't let it go at that. "Piper-chan," the little Cyniclon cast a curious glance her way, "Taruto asked you a question. Don't be rude, introduce yourself properly."

There was an audible sigh from the boy after which he turned back to Taruto and mumbled, "I'm…my name's Piper, okay?"

"Heh," Taruto flashed one of his impish smiles and floated back to where he'd been moments before.

"Better?" the embarrassed blond whispered in Minto's ear.

"Much." she replied with a satisfied smirk.

"Alright, now I think it's time we got down to business." Ryou announced, "The Crisects have become a dangerous menace on both our planets so it's imperative that we team up and find a way to get rid of them for good."

_Oh, so that's what this is all about._ Minto thought as Piper lowered himself to perch on her shoulder. She felt slightly relieved that the main focus wasn't on Piper anymore.

"What we need to do is take them all out at once." Kisshu said.

"Great idea," Ryou's tone bordered on sincerity and sarcasm, "any thoughts on how we should do that?"

"It's like a hornets' nest, na no da!" Pudding chimed in. "If you go around trying to get rid of all the hornets one-by-one you'll be at it forever (and probably get stung a whole lot) but if you destroy the nest then they'll all die out at once, na no da!"

"Crisects aren't hornets!" Taruto blurted out.

"I know that!" she declared, "It's called an 'analogy', na no da!"

"It might be feasible to do so," Pai remarked, "From what we were able to decipher back on our planet it appeared as though the Crisect portals had one common destination. They could be a species that thrives within a massive ship rather than a stationary home world. But if we're to succeed, we'll need to devise a way to reach that supposed ship and destroy it without killing ourselves in the process."

"That's easy enough," Kisshu shrugged, "we blow it up!"

Keiichiro turned away from the monitor and quirked a brow, "You mean set off a bomb?"

"Well duh," the Cyniclon replied arrogantly, "How else would ya do it?"

"Kish, if we're correct in our assumptions about a species-sustaining spacecraft it would take a massive explosion to destroy it." Pai asserted. _Emphasis on '__**massive**__'._

"So," his comrade remained unfazed, "it's not like we don't have the technology. Even these geeks could build something like that."

From their expressions it was clear neither Keiichiro nor Ryou took Kish's statement as a compliment.

"Y-Yes but the timer would have to be very precise," Lettuce noted timidly. "It would have to allow us just enough time to detonate it and leave without giving the Crisects enough time to disarm it."

"So we'd need a diversion, na no da? Pudding is good at creating diversions, na no da!" the monkey Mew began juggling three red balls she'd gotten from who knows where to prove her point.

Minto shook her head in a 'Why me?' manner. "We may not even have the chance to do anything if we run into an ambush of Crisects when we get there. Who knows how many are skulking around that place?"

"Quite a few," Pai answered, "our best calculations have them estimated well into the thousands."

The bird Mew shuddered, "You see? I'm not racing into a giant lobster-bug infested mother ship to set off an extraterrestrial roach bomb without knowing if it's safe. Just how did you plan to _get _there anyway?"

Across the room Kisshu narrowed his eyes at the Mew. The nerve of that snob questioning _his_ brilliant plan.

"Can you teleport us?" Lettuce asked of Pai.

The lavender haired alien shook his head. "No, it's of too great a distance. And they may have shields to prevent reaching the inside of their base in such a way."

"Yeah," Taruto added, "if we could teleport _that_ far we wouldn't have needed a ship to come here in the first place!"

Pai resisted the urge to produce his fan and swat him in the back of the head.

"Then that leaves us with no other option but to use one of their own portals to reach them." Ryou decided. "And like Minto said, that's a big risk. You wouldn't know exactly what you were walking into until you were already there."

"And there's no turning back then, na no da!"

"We'll just have to be ready for an attack when we rush through." Kisshu informed them, "Because unless _someone __**else **_has a better idea," he shot a pointed glance at Minto, "then this the only chance we've got."

Silence reigned for a few tense moments as everyone tried to think of some better alternative to the plan. Unfortunately no one could so they were stuck relying on Kisshu's highly risky suggestion. The only one who didn't seem bothered by this was the green haired alien himself.

Releasing a breath Ryou relented, "Well, I guess that's that then. Keiichiro and I can get to work on constructing the bomb, Pai can be a big help there too, but what we really need is the data you've collected on the Crisects. That way we can combine our findings and hash out all the details. Our biggest problem now is getting everything in place before they show up again."

Though usually uncomfortable sharing such classified information Pai decided to make an exception in this case. It was, after all, for the good of his people. And Pai was nothing if not dedicated to his cause. "Very well, Kish, Tart, and I will return to the ship and-"

"Oh, um…Pai-san?"

Turning to Lettuce the tallest alien arched a brow. "Yes?"

She nervously dropped her gaze to the floor, "W-Would it be alright if—if the other Mews and I came along? Our—our pendants have a direct uplink to the systems here so it might make the information transferal go faster."

He considered this a moment then smiled (she really was cute when her shyness peaked), "Yes, I think that in this case such a thing would be acceptable."

Pai felt his whole body lighten when she looked up him with the brightest, most grateful expression he'd ever seen. "Th-Thank you, Pai-san."

* * *

"Ayyyaaaiii, Lettuce! Why'd you have to do that?" Minto sighed crankily when they reached the top of the stairs ahead of the others. 

There would be a brief delay in their trip to the Cyniclon spaceship while Ryou and Keiichiro discussed a few things concerning their plan. Minto was just happy to be back in the dining area and out of that dark stuffy room.

"Sorry, sorry Minto-san!" Lettuce apologized and bowed repeatedly. "I-I was only thinking of what was best for our mission."

"Sure you were," the blue Mew replied slyly. _Your own 'mission' to get closer to Pai._

"Pudding is so excited, na no da!" the monkey Mew sang out as she skipped merrily past them and did a cartwheel across the hardwood floor. "We all get to see Taru-Taru's ship!"

Right on cue the chestnut haired alien came soaring after her. Though his expression was contradictory at first it soon switched to smug satisfaction when he heard her call the vessel _his_ ship.

"Heh, well I _do_ practically fly it all by myself." he remarked while floating, cross-armed between the tables.

"I believe that **I'm** the one in charge of piloting the craft and operating its more complex controls." Pai coughed as he appeared in the room just in time to catch the boast.

"That's right Tart," Kisshu teased after teleporting behind the youngster, "you're just in charge of navigation. And you're lucky we let you do that. I'd manage it myself but someone's gotta man the weapons systems, ya know?"

Taruto clenched his fists and growled. Leave it to Kisshu to embarrass him in front of Pud—err—the Mew Mews.

"JUST SHUT UP YOU JERK! Besides," he stopped shouting and smirked, "the last time we let _you_ do the navigating we wound up twelve light-years off course!"

A little flustered the green haired Cyniclon scoffed and looked away. "How immature, I guess I can't expect a bratty kid like you to appreciate a clever shortcut when you see one."

Taruto was quick to counter with a raspberry. "Nyaahhh!"

Pai, who had distanced himself from the pair as they quarreled, _casually_ strolled across the dining room where a certain blue eyed Mew busied herself arranging condiments on a table.

Pudding, who's attention span was shorter than her braids, had begun a series of ludicrous warm-ups for her sure to be spectacular 'Welcome Back Taru-Taru' show! _Fire breathing and improv, juggling and acrobatics, na no da! Pudding's performance will have all the critics agreeing—__**FIVE STARS**_, na no da!

That left Minto and Piper to observe the silly spat.

"Now do you see why it's so important to practice good manners, Piper-chan?" the bird Mew inquired offhandedly.

Her charge chuckled and nodded enthusiastically. "You bet, Mama Bird. I sure wouldn't wanna wind up like them."

One of Kisshu's ears perked and wiggled.

"HEY!" Taruto's reaction was much less subtle. "What do you know about maturity kid? You're just a little pipsqueak who hides behind a Mew!"

Minto's eyes flashed dangerously yet she remained silent.

"I'M NOT HIDING!" Piper yelled beside her.

"Nyah! Nyah! Nyah-nyah! Nyaaahhh!" Taruto held a hand before each ear and wriggled his fingers tauntingly.

Minto's expression turned bored but Piper was all the more riled up.

"Oh yeah! Well…well…well that's just DUMB! So there!"

"Taru-Taru!" Pudding chirped mid-stretch on the floor, "Don't pick on Piper, na no da. He's our friend and much smaller than you, na no da."

"Heh." Though he pretended not to care the teasing ceased.

Having decided she'd had enough, Minto whirled around to enter the kitchen—only to find a certain arrogant Cyniclon standing in her way. Kisshu's head was tilted forward just enough so that his bangs hung over his eyes leaving nothing discernable but a small unsettling grin. She tried to walk around him but he sidestepped back into her path. This went on for five or six tries until she finally huffed and gave up. "What is your problem?!"

"Hm?" he lifted his head to reveal that both eyes were closed as he boasted an obviously faked innocent expression. "What's the matter, Birdie-chan?"

The blue Mew ground her teeth and attempted to squeeze past him but one of the tables made it too tight a fit. So she wound up wedged there with Kisshu staring her down behind his façade. She would've been unnerved by his behavior if she weren't so furious about it!

"Do you **mind**? I'm_ trying_ to get through!"

"Okay, Birdie-chan…" his grin grew more sinister in its forced amiability, "…just say the magic word." _Heh, this'll fix that snooty Mew._

The look she gave him said quite plainly that his foolish demand wasn't worthy of reply.

Piper watched him suspiciously while Taruto looked on in amusement.

"Aw, c'mon Birdie," he dropped the honorific, "I thought you wanted to teach the kid good manners?"

Minto glanced over when he jerked a thumb toward Piper. With an annoyed sigh, and one last attempt at moving the table with her hip, she relented. "Fine! Kisshu, will you _**please**_ step aside so I can get to the kitchen?"

The grin was a full blown smirk now. "Sure thing, Birdie, no problem!"

Minto muttered something that was definitely _im_polite under her breath when he finally floated away and let her pass.

To her chagrin he followed her into the kitchen and remained hovering with his arms folded casually behind his head. She did her best to ignore him as she opened one of the cabinet doors and pulled out a glass. After filling it with water she polished it off in one gulp. Not very ladylike but she was in a hurry.

…_to get the heck away from __**him**!_

"Why must you follow me everywhere?" she demanded when he showed no sign of leaving.

"Aw, don't get mad, Birdie. We're allies now, remember?" but his tone suggested he was truly out to irk her.

"Allies?" she scoffed at the notion and gestured toward the other room. "You could learn a thing or two about proper behavior to practice around your allies."

Kisshu shut his eyes and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Minto stamped her foot, angered that he'd found amusement in her frustration.

"You are, Minto-chan." Well at least he'd bothered to use her name this time. "You're so snooty. It's fun to see that upturned nose of yours get all bent out of shape!"

Her jaw dropped. The nerve! How dare he speak to her that way! _Just who does he think he is?_

"You! How dare you call me a snob! Don't you have ANY manners? You should show more respect if you really want to become friends with the Mew Mews!"

"Ah, but who said I wanted to become friends with you anyway?" he brushed her off.

"Huh?" the sickeningly familiar feeling of betrayal arose in the pit of her stomach. "What do you mean? You…you saved us after the defeat of Deep Blue! I thought you wanted a tru-"

"We came to a compromise." he explained as casually as if they'd been discussing the weather. "Just because there was enough Mew Aqua remaining to make our planet inhabitable doesn't mean it didn't involve a lot of trouble for us."

Minto stayed silent, completely unsure of how to respond. Things could get out of hand very quickly if she wasn't careful. And she didn't want to be responsible for triggering another feud with the Cyniclons.

"And as for saving you from that collapsing base," he continued, enjoying the look of unease the previously smug girl sported, "I told you then that I owed Ichigo as much for saving my life. So sure, we're even now." His expression turned serious as he pinned her with his piercing yellow gaze. "But that doesn't make us friends."

"Th-Then," Minto swallowed and tried again, "…then what is it you want from us?"

_I just knew that alliance talk was too good to be true! _A sudden thought struck her and she gasped in horror. "Oh no! You're not here to take Ichigo again are you? She's in love with Aoyama, Kisshu! You can't force her to love you! Please! Please don't abduct her!"

Kisshu eyed the lorikeet girl as she frantically pleaded with him to leave her absent friend be. Little did she know that he was sticking to his prior resolve to let the cat-eared redhead stay with her precious 'Aoyama-kun'. So when he burst into high pitched laughter it caught Minto totally by surprise. That wasn't the reaction she'd been expecting at all!

_Wh-What's this?_ her mind raced, _I thought for sure he'd be—angry? He doesn't even seem bothered that I brought it up._

"Oh you silly Mew Mew," he sneered between bouts of laughter, "think you've got me all figured out, huh? Well guess again. I'm not here for Ichigo. Turns out she's not really my type after all."

_Hmph, yeah right._ Minto watched him skeptically. _The 'type' that turns him down? Or the 'type' with a powerful sword-swinging boyfriend?_

"That still doesn't explain what you're up to."

"It doesn't?" he questioned mockingly, "Didn't you hear Pai explain earlier about how we needed to join forces and defeat the Crisects? Or was that conversation too much for your tiny bird brain to handle?"

"Oooh!" Minto slumped forward and held her fists level with her face. She was just itching to deck him one! "Keep it up Kisshu and I'll slap that smug grin right off your face!"

"Oh really?" he challenged and lowered himself down so that his feet were a mere inch off the floor. "I'd like to see your try it. Go ahead Birdie, give it your best shot!"

Minto's eyes narrowed dangerously as he leaned forward and tilted his head back invitingly then gave his chin a taunting tap.

_Why that arrogant, no good, …!_

_**SMACK!**_

And before she knew what was happening she found herself staring dumbfounded—right hand raised over her opposite shoulder—at Kisshu's bewildered expression. The left side of his face bore a reddened imprint of her hand, marking where it had unexpectedly made contact a second before.

_Well_, the Cyniclon blinked at the wide eyed Mew, _she's certainly got spunk. I'll give her that much._

Despite his admiration he was still a bit put off by how effortlessly the 'snooty bird' had managed to land a hit. He touched the spot gingerly and winced at the sting. That would leave a mark, good thing he was a fast healer. Of course that wouldn't stop Pai or Taruto from getting in a few jabs at his pride over the ordeal. (They'd always warned him his flirtatious behavior would get him into trouble.) So now what should he do? Backing down was definitely out of the question.

Minto waited nervously for Kisshu to make his next move. She hadn't meant to smack him, at least, not so _**hard**_. _Oh great, his cheek's getting redder. I bet that stings! Oh…I wish he'd stop staring at me like that and say something already! Ichigo, I really wish you were here instead of me! I'm too young and sophisticated to die this way!_

The green haired alien sported a grin much like that of a cat that had caught itself a canary.

"Mmm, guess what Birdie," he began slyly and leaned down so that their noses touched, "since you're so eager to play and my kitty got away, I've decided to make _**you**_ my new toy."

"Wh-What?" she spluttered, too flustered by his remark to remember her previous fear. "I'm not a toy!"

"Well maybe you weren't before," he shrugged and floated back so that he was hovering a good two feet over her again, "but you are now, _precious_. Consider yourself lucky I was in the market or I might've had to _punish_ you for that insolent attack."

Minto's face grew red with indignation. _How…How DARE he be so…so…!_

"Mmhmhmhm," his smug laugh followed and fangs protruded from either side of his smile, "you're my toy now little birdie. So you may as well get used to it."

"Urgh…" the dark haired Mew growled and struggled to keep her fists at her sides.

"You can just start expecting me to _hang around_." Kisshu rotated in place as he spoke so that he was upside down when he finished. _I love twisting the dagger once I've got it in place._

"Oooh! You're so—infuriating!" she snapped. "Why are you picking on **me**?"

"Because," he beamed at her in his typically cocky way then teleported himself so that they were back-to-back, "it's fun to ruffle your feathers."

Minto jerked away from him like she'd be burned. Spinning around she pointed accusingly. "You're nothing but trouble you—you—you uncivilized creep! I was minding my own business when you started to bug me and now I'm so mad I could scream!"

"You could always slap me again," he offered playfully and tapped his unmarred cheek. "C'mon, I can take it. It'll make you feel better."

Minto's fury lasted less than a second and she found herself struggling to hide a smile. Turning away she covered her mouth and pretended to cough. "You're certifiable, Kish-kun."

His eyebrows shot up. "Kish-kun?" he repeated slowly.

"Mmh," she nodded coyly before leaving him there with a puzzled expression. "If you insist on calling me your 'toy' then I'll keep referring to you as my ill-behaved friend. So _you_ can just expect _that_."

Kisshu watched her go, his mouth hung open in surprise. Had his ears heard right? Had she just called him 'Kish-kun'? Wasn't Ichigo always referring to her beloved crush as 'Aoyama-kun'? So, did that mean…?

A smile spread over his face as he floated forward to join her. Things were becoming quite interesting now.

* * *

Minutes later they had all rejoined and prepared to teleport to the Cyniclons' spaceship which currently hovered just outside of Earth's atmosphere directly above Tokyo, Japan. 

"We're cloaked from detection by human radar and defense systems." Pai announced upon arrival. "I trust your team's scientists have taken such precautions with your communicators?"

"That's correct," Ryou's holographic image confirmed from the device Lettuce was holding, "so there's no need to worry. We're prepared to receive the data."

The control room was silent as everyone waited while Pai went over to the main computer console and began pressing keys. A few seconds later he informed them that the data transfer had begun.

"We're receiving the files now. Conversion should cause some minor lag though." Keiichiro's voice announced over Lettuce's communicator. (Oh how they missed Masha.)

"The important thing is it's working." Ryou insisted._ We __**are**__ dealing with advanced alien technology here._

Minto glanced around the cool, metallic room. Multi-colored lights blinked on and off followed by sporadic beeps and strange flashing symbols. Up front three rotating chairs where welded to the floor, one for each of the main stations. Idly she wondered how hard it was to pilot the craft. _If Taruto can do it then it can't be as complex as it looks._

When the time had come to teleport from the café Piper had opted to stay behind on Earth. Minto couldn't blame him, he was still wary about the other Cyniclons and their intentions where he was concerned. Even she could tell that. Still, after just over a week of looking after him, she felt rather lonesome without the boisterous little alien around.

Without realizing it she had been slowly making her way over to one of the large windows that made up the—for lack of a better word—windshield in the front of the room. Pudding already had her hands and face pressed against the glass marveling at the Earth below them and its beauty. Even Lettuce, who had absently placed her communicator on the console, drifted toward the awe inspiring sight.

"Woooow," the blonde gasped as she watched the Earth slowly rotate in the dark backdrop of space.

"Ha! Ha! Bet you're scared now, huh? Just look how far away you are from home." Taruto taunted her.

The monkey Mew spun around and clasped her hands behind her back in a cute, Pudding-pose. Rocking forward so that she was just slightly short of being nose-to-nose with him she chirped, "Not at all, na no da! Pudding feels just like an astronaut up here in outer space, na no da! Maybe I'll get to endorse a soft drink now! Or perform some zero gravity tricks! Hey, Taruto! Wanna do a moonwalk with me on the moon, na no da?"

The pigtailed alien was completely taken aback, and not just because Pudding was doing some weird sliding-in-place dance step right in front of him. _Crazy humans._ "B-But what if an _asteroid_ hits us? What if something happens to the ship and you can _never_ get home? You'd be _KILLED_ or…or…stuck out here drifting through space **FOREVER**! What then, huh?"

She watched his face redden as he grew more excited with each word. Pudding knew his aim was to scare her, probably even to make her cry. But she wasn't half as much a crybaby as her floating, fist-flinging pal. "Then I guess we'll go together, na no da!" she beamed. "Yep! Pudding and Taru-Taru, friends to the end, na no da!"

The brunet's mouth hung open. Once again her abnormally cheerful demeanor had him totally speechless. _What is it with her? What's it take to make her __**CRY**_?

* * *

"Oh Pai-san," Lettuce spoke with a tone of breathless awe in her voice, "the Earth looks so beautiful from up here. Like a sparkling aqua drop…with swirling clouds and little patches of land, mmh-hmm." She added the last bit with a small chuckle. 

The lavender haired Cyniclon nodded as his frown eased upwards into a smile. He enjoyed gazing at her while she peered out the window in amazement with both hands clasped beneath her chin. _Beautiful…_

Lettuce almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand lightly grasp her shoulder. _B-Brr…c-cold!_

"Sorry," Pai flashed her one of his short-lived smiles, "it would appear that normal body temperatures for Cyniclons and humans differ greatly."

"O-Oh, I don't mind." she blushed and turned so that she was glancing at him over her shoulder. "Ever since I learned to swim that one summer I've been spending a lot of time in the ocean. I can dive pretty far now and the water that deep is usually a lot colder, especially during the later months, so I'm used to the cooler temperatures. You just…surprised me, that's all."

There was a peaceful look of understanding in his violet orbs as he slowly, almost tentatively brought his other hand up to grasp her opposite shoulder. A soft gasp escaped her as he turned her around to face him. The blush on her face deepened and spread. He was a good deal taller than her, taller than Keiichiro even, and she found herself secretly hoping he would do something to close the gap. He didn't disappoint her…

"Lettuce-san," the name was so warmly spoken that it made up for the chill of his touch as he pulled her closer and slid his right hand along her neck then tucked two fingers under her chin.

Blue eyes sparkled as he gently tipped her head back so that her face was angled toward his. As he lowered his face toward hers Lettuce subconsciously arched her back and stood on tiptoe in an effort to speed up the process and give him better access to her…to her…

♥ _smooch! ♥_

Her eyes, which at that point had nearly drifted shut, snapped open when his lips made contact with the center of her forehead, right between her bangs and just above the bridge of her nose.

For a brief moment she felt as though she should be disappointed but she decided to chase that thought away with a secret smile. Pai was a wonderful guy, but he was also very serious and diligent in his work. It stood to reason that he might display his romantic feelings in such a way, cautious and reserved, taking it one small step at a time. At least they had gotten somewhere. One tender moment closer to the kind of meaningful relationship she desired. And—she was certain—they were both as scared as they were eager when it came to getting closer.

_I guess even a genius like Pai-san gets self-conscious once in a while._

* * *

Both Minto and Kisshu pretended not to notice (or care about) the scene that had just played out between Lettuce and Pai. It was none of their business anyway…not that it wouldn't make for fun teasing later. 

_Heh, I wonder if Pai remembers that girl's got a crush on her boss?_ Kisshu wondered.

_There's just no accounting for some people's tastes._ Minto sighed.

Just how did Lettuce expect a relationship between a human and a Cyniclon to work out? Then again, from the looks of it, Lettuce wasn't the only one with her sights set on an alien.

"I said stop calling me that!" Taruto barked at Pudding. Both had completely missed out on the 'mushy moment'.

"But Taru-Taru is Pudding's friend, na no da. It's fun to give friends a nickname, no da!"

Back on Earth Ryou and Keiichiro listened to the bickering with amusement. Some things never changed.

In an attempt to end the fuss and pass the time while the data transference finished up Pai suggested that they take their new allies on a tour of the ship. Both Kisshu and Taruto found this a little odd coming from the conservative genius but shrugged it off. Had they noticed the excitement that shone in Lettuce's eyes they would've had all the explanation they needed.

"Hey Pudding," Taruto smirked, "you should come see the plants I've been growing. I've got some really scary ones!"

The yellow Mew couldn't have looked happier if he'd announced they were going to a candy factory. "Okay Taru-Taru, na no da! Let's go!"

Minto hung back as everyone else filed out of the room in pairs leaving her and Kisshu alone in the control room. She hated feeling like a third wheel. Why'd she agree to be the leader anyway? She could've been back on Earth sipping tea at her usual table.

After a few minutes of sulking she heard Kisshu yawn as he stretched and strode past her without so much as a word. Confused and a little put off she followed him out into a shiny metal corridor. The bizarre silent treatment continued as he walked on, never looking back, toward whatever destination he had in mind.

In truth Kisshu had become lost in thought as he reflected over his last trip to Earth and all that had changed since then. Naturally he wondered about Ichigo, how she was doing, and if she missed him. She was the one Mew he didn't mind befriending—even if that was as far as she'd take it. _Guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes too high. If only she hadn't been so cute and spirited…_

_Alright!_ Minto huffed as she now stomped along behind him, _Enough is enough! I'm tried of getting the cold shoulder!_

"A-HEM!"

The rather loudly faked cough earned her a quick over-the-shoulder glance from Kisshu. "What? Are you still here?"

That did it.

"What do you mean 'Are you still here'? Of course I'm still here, you rude, insensitive, ….grrr! Where else would I be? I don't know my way around this ship!"

"So, why didn't you just go with the others then?" he replied carelessly.

Her face reddened, "I guess I just assumed you'd escort me around. A true gentleman is always happy to escort a lady you know?"

"Heh."

"Oooohh…some friend you are!"

"I told you before," he wagged a finger tauntingly, "just because we're allies now doesn't make us friends."

"Ha!" she snapped back, "That's just fine by me! I can assure you that you're not the sort of person I'd ever want for a friend!"

"Well then, so much for 'Kish-kun'." he smirked upon reaching his quarters.

"ARGH!!" throwing her arms up in frustration Minto spun round and stormed off in a huff.

* * *

Once inside his quarters Kisshu lazily hovered over to his bed and plopped down. Truthfully he hated the ship's interior. It was so much like the interior of the underground communities they'd been forced to dwell in back before the Mew Aqua healed their planet. Everything was so hard and cold and dull. It was a complete contrast to the homes back on Earth. 

Sure, he'd seen a few during his first stay there. Ichigo's was especially nice. It was filled with knickknacks, pictures, and sentimental keepsakes that added a personal touch to the vibrant colors and soft lighting. Unbeknownst to her he'd floated outside her window taking in the arrangements before announcing his presence (and intention to take her with him) one particular day when she was sick.

"Ugh, there I go, thinking about her again." he grimaced at himself. "Ichigo…why can't I get you out of my mind?"

Looking back he supposed he'd always been a bit obsessed with getting what he couldn't have. Ichigo had proven to be the pinnacle of unattainable prizes to him and he was starting to fear that there was just no getting over that.

"It's not like I _wanted_ things to get so out of control." he told the empty room. "I never meant to fly off the handle like that. I just…it was so…when she kept fighting me…it—hurt."

Kisshu's eyebrows knitted together as he reflected on his mission and the good reasons he had for being so determined to follow through. People, _his _people, were counting on him. He literally held his species _lives_ in his hands. Who wouldn't snap under that kind of pressure? Especially when you found yourself developing deep feelings for your enemy?

"It's just not fair," he said at last. It was a conclusion he always reached whenever he mulled over the matter. "Why couldn't she love me? Why did it have to be_ him_?"

Okay so maybe there was a bit of lingering animosity toward the Blue Knight. But Kisshu was determined not to let his rage get the better of him again. He had to keep his feelings under wraps. It was the only way to keep the past from repeating itself. And with the Crisects beating down on his people's defenses losing his self control was something he couldn't afford.

"I'll get over you, Ichigo." he vowed quietly, sadly. "There _has_ to be a way."

* * *

It wasn't long after stomping off when Minto found herself hopelessly lost in the tight maze of metallic corridors, unable to distinguish one from the other. And she wasn't about to open anymore doors either. The last one she'd tried led out into an endless dimension of stone pillars and green fog. She remembered it all too well as the place where the Cyniclons had hatched their schemes to annihilate the human race. 

_Lost on a spaceship hovering miles above the Earth and the only thing I can find that looks familiar is that warped hideout of theirs. I get shivers every time I think of the weird experiments and invasive research they did in there! _Thinking such things about her team's new allies did little to calm the bird Mew's frayed nerves.

"That stupid Kisshu," she grumbled as she turned another corner only to be met with yet another hallway that was identical to the last, "I swear he's a bigger pain than Ichigo sometimes. And _that's_ saying something."

_Yep, it's all HIS fault I'm stuck here. He's the worst creep of all! ' Toy' indeed. Hmph! It'd serve him right to find himself on the wrong end of a Mint Echo._

As she proceeded down the hall she noticed that the next-to-the-last door was open. Peering inside she felt relief wash over her at the sight of Lettuce and Pai. The latter was obviously showing her friend around his lab. The strange assortment of beakers, test tubes, chemicals, and machinery kind of gave it away.

_Hm, and I thought the control room was impressive. Shirogane and Akasaka would __**love **__this place. For a race of nearly extinct aliens the Cyniclons certainly have come a long way with technology. Now if only their wardrobes weren't so drab…_

She studied the pair inside for a moment and smiled. No denying it, there were definite sparks between them. Even Pai's pale cheeks were tinted pink as Lettuce absently sat her hand atop his as she wondered between the counters. Again Minto cleared her throat to gain attention—and enjoyed the embarrassed reactions both gave her.

The phlegmatic Cyniclon led both Mews back toward the control room. But before they reached the halfway point an angry voice startled them when it suddenly came echoing down the hall.

"HEY! PAWS OFF MONKEY GIRL, THAT'S MINE!!"

"It's so pretty Taru-Taru! What do you call it, na no da?"

"It-It's an experimental flora I'm working on. So just leave it alone!" they could all hear the embarrassment in his tone.

"Sounds like Taruto is showing Pudding his arboretum." Pai stated with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You have an arboretum onboard your ship?" Lettuce asked.

"Yes," Pai nodded, "it's small in scale but it keeps Tart busy and out of my—err—_our_ hair."

Minto bit back a laugh. _I wonder if adding a little arena to the café would work the same way with Pudding?_

"It's all yellow with a little monkey tail in the middle, na no da!" Pudding's voice rang out again.

"That's a PISTIL!" Tart shouted.

"How cute, it looks almost **exactly** like Pudding's does, na no da!"

"Err—well, uh…that's because…ya see I—ah, err—"

"Eheehee! It even _smells_ like a candy drop, no da!"

"GYAAAHHH!! Monkey Girl! I said put that down! Y-You're not supposed to touch anything!" poor Taruto was frantic now. Everyone could just imagine how red his face must be. That alone had them snickering as they passed by.

"Yo, Taruto." Pai's voice remained calm and level without betraying his mirth. "The data transference should be complete by now. It's time to teleport back to Earth. So stop fighting with your girlfriend and report to the control room right away."

They had just enough time to reach the other end of the hall before a loud "WHAT?" screeched out behind them. Pai smirked, Kisshu would've been proud.

An outraged Taruto appeared floating in the doorway with Pudding behind him clutching a flowerpot and wearing an ear-to-ear grin.

The human expression _"I wish I had a camera."_ came to mind.

* * *

When everyone was inside the control room and ready for transport Pai informed them that the Cyniclons would be staying behind. They would regroup tomorrow and go over the details of their plan of attack. 

"Oh," Lettuce glanced about and noticed one person's absence, "where is Kisshu-san?"

"Probably lounging about in his room," Pai answered indifferently.

"Heh, he does that a lot." Taruto added. "Kisshu can be really lazy when he wants to be."

Minto managed to keep her languid pose despite the nagging urge she felt to glance back at the sliding doors. She knew he was back there somewhere. Hauled up in his room and perfectly fine. Probably intentionally ignoring her, the jerk. But that didn't ease the small part of her mind that worried that maybe it wasn't just that. Maybe…there something was wrong?

"Never mind him," Pai held a hand out toward them, causing Taruto to hop over and do the same, "there are only three of you now so Taruto and I can handle the teleportation."

"Thank you so much for all your help, Pai-san."

The meager smile was back. "Of course, Lettuce-san. I'm sure we will all be of much help to each other. Until tomorrow then, farewell."

"Bye-bye Taru-Taru!" Pudding squeaked happily as she waved good-bye.

"Heh, see you tomorrow, Monkey Girl."

The two Cyniclons watched as the space darkened and rippled around the Mews. When at last they had vanished from sight (to reappear at Café Mew Mew) Taruto turned to Pai with a serious question.

"Hey Pai, what are we going to do about that Piper kid, huh?"

Pai kept his gaze focused ahead and slowly brought his arm down by his side. "I don't know," he replied flatly, "first we must deal with the Crisects _then_ we can worry about the boy."

* * *

_To be continued…_


	5. The Best of Friends, Gotta See Her Cry!

**A/N**: Okay, so I tried looking it up but there's several ways I've found to say 'mother' and 'father' in Japanese so I just have the Fong kids refer to them as 'mum' and 'dad' in this story. In the English subtitled episode of Tokyo Mew Mew I watched Pudding called her mom 'mum' so that's why I went with that. This is by far the longest chapter yet but it covers some necessary issues that need to be dealt with now that the Mews and Cyniclons are allies...and maybe more. Your reviews have been very encouraging (and a tad threatening, lol). I promise you less talk and more action in the next chapter (I know Pai can be about as interesting as a physics lecture). So read on and stay tuned!

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Five: The Best of Friends, Gotta See Her Cry!

The day following their trip to the Cyniclons' spaceship the three Mews prepared to regroup and plan out the final phases of their plan. Ryou, Keiichiro, and Pai had started constructing the bomb with occasional input from Lettuce who—though fairly brilliant in her own right—was still timid about putting forth her ideas.

Kisshu had the task of going over the past portal sightings in Tokyo and trying to find some sort of pattern to their attacks. So far all he could get from the Mews' data was that the invaders were as sporadic and unpredictable on Earth as they were on his planet.

"So in other words," Minto said frankly, "you don't have a clue where they'll be next."

The edges of the grid printout crinkled in his hands as Kisshu fought back the feelings of frustration and humiliation her snippet comment produced. "No! I just think it's going to take some further analysis before I can figure it out, okay? If you're data wasn't so lousy in the first place-"

"If you weren't such an incompetent strategist," she countered.

"What? I'll have you know that I'm one of the leading military strategists on my planet!" he snapped.

"Hmph, for all the good it's done."

A low growl followed by the sound of ripping paper caused Pai to glance in their direction.

"Kisshu, don't forget you have a mission to carry out. This is no time to lose your temper—again." he warned.

"Heh, then you should tape the beak shut on this birdie." Kisshu scoffed, "It's impossible to concentrate with_ her_ standing over my shoulder."

Brown eyes flashed as she smirked at him slyly. "Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment, Kish-kun?"

The aggravated exclamation that followed was offset by his blush.

"Bleck!" Piper pulled a face from where he was floating next to Pudding and Taruto in the opposite corner. "Why would Minto-chan be flirting with_ him_?"

"Minto onee-chan likes to tease people, na no da." Pudding smiled as she leaned beside Taruto on the wall with her arms folded behind her back. Being the youngest of the team they hadn't been given an assignment yet. Frankly, Taruto felt snubbed.

"And she's really sarcastic too. Pudding thinks that she might even _like_ Kisshu onii-chan, na no da! Maybe they'll be **friends**, no da!"

"Ick!" Taruto gagged. "What makes you think _those two_ could ever get along?"

"There's only one sure way to find out, na no da!" a look of determination washed over her face as Pudding slapped a fist in her palm. "We need Pudding's Love Prediction fortune telling machine, na no da!"

Tart couldn't have looked more dumbfounded if he'd tried. "Wh-Wha?"

"It's simple, no da! All Pudding has to do is press the magic button and the compatibility of any two people will be revealed, na no da!"

Piper snickered, Pudding had leaned so far into Taruto's face that the brunet was left looking like a startled rabbit backed into a corner.

"Hm, come to think of it," the blonde girl put a finger to her chin in thought, "Pudding has never predicted _our_ compatibility with her fortune telling machine either, na no da. Wanna give it a try, Taru-Taru?"

Taruto barely had time to sputter an answer even he couldn't understand before he was dragged upstairs by the eager monkey Mew. Piper floated close behind them. He had a feeling it would be an event too funny to pass up.

"There," Ryou announced while dusting off his hands several minutes later, "the device should be sufficient for destroying the Crisects' ship, assuming our estimations of its size and density are accurate enough."

"And the timer is set to go off twenty-nine seconds after detonation." Keiichiro added, "So everyone be sure to move swiftly and avoid the enemy whenever possible."

"Now our only problem lies in when and where the next Crisect portal will open." Pai observed. "Kisshu, what have you learned from the data?"

The green haired Cyniclon cleared his throat and assumed an air of importance—despite his lack of useful information. "It seems obvious to me that the Earth is still experiencing the first stages of the Crisect attacks. Those bug monsters have been appearing in small numbers sparsely scattered across Tokyo with no detectable pattern. My guess is they're sizing the humans up, looking for weaknesses and noting any strengths or opposition they find. Soon the larger scale raids will begin, like on our planet, and any_ strategist_ can see that the next step will be a total citywide invasion."

"So what's the good news?" Minto mumbled sarcastically.

"The good news," he paused for emphasis (and to shoot Minto an annoyed glance), "is that with the help of our ship's energy detection system we should be able to pinpoint their next portal's location within a matter of seconds of its opening. That's the good thing about having the attacks centered around a single city, makes it much easier to monitor."

"So we wait." Pai surmised.

"Yeah," Kisshu shrugged, "and we could always program the ship's computers to relay a signal down here should they detect something. It'd save us the trouble of rounding everyone up."

With everyone in agreement on that it was now a waiting game. So they decided to disperse for the moment and head upstairs for a well deserved break.

The first sounds they heard upon entering the dining area were those of Pudding and Taruto arguing over the fortune telling machine.

"There's no way that's right!" the pigtailed alien exclaimed. "Do it again!"

"Ah! But Pudding has already tried this **sixteen** times, na no da!" irritation leaked into the young blonde's tone as she spoke. "And every time it's come out showing that Pudding and Taru-Taru have a high compatibility rate, na no da!"

"Yep," Piper chuckled as he stared at the screen from over her shoulder, "she's right. According to this thing you two were practically made for each other! Ahahaha!"

"ARGH!!!" a blushing Taruto yanked furiously on his pigtails unaware that they now had a smirking audience in the background. "I'm telling you there's NO WAY that that's right! This thing must be busted!"

"Pudding's fortune telling machine almost never malfunctions, na no da!" the monkey Mew replied in a huff.

"_Almost_?" Taruto repeated.

"Well…" Pudding looked down at the hot pink contraption doubtfully, "…it's never done it this many times in a row. S-So the answer must be right, no da!"

Poorly muffled laughter from behind him caused the brunet to spin around and cry out in surprise and mortification. Pai and Kisshu had _both_ been present for the results! Oh he was NEVER going to be able to live this down!

"Sounds like Tart's been up here taking love tests with his girlfriend while we were downstairs working." Kisshu teased.

"Wah!" Taruto gaped. "N-N-N-NO WAY!"

At the sound of Pudding's giggle he whipped back around and jabbed a finger at her. "And she is NOT my GIRLFRIEND!"

"But Pudding _is_ your friend, right Taru-Taru?" she beamed up at him as he hovered Indian-style above her. "And Pudding is also a girl, na no da!"

"And the fortune telling machine says you're gonna be more than that." Piper added mischievously.

"Watch it you-" Taruto growled and brandished a fist Piper paid no heed to.

"Pudding's going to be _Mrs. Taruto_, hee hee!"

Minto and Lettuce stifled a laugh while the two Cyniclons laughed openly.

"Grrr…that's it! Gimme that thing!" Taruto jerked the device out of Pudding's hands before she could protest. "I'm gonna **prove** to you that this thing isn't right!"

Raring back an arm with his index finger extended he announced, "Now I'm gonna test the compatibility between…Kish and the bird lady!"

"Minto!" said 'bird lady' snapped. _I'm not a 'Bird lady'. Bird ladies are little old women who sit on benches and feed pigeons in the park!_

The room fell silent as the slot-machine styled numbers began to spin. Pai tossed a taunting smirk at Kisshu who tried his best to keep a straight face. Minto clutched her fists at her sides until her knuckles were white. This was…this was so humiliating!

"And the results are-!" you could practically hear the drum roll follow Taruto's words.

Golden orbs grew wide when he saw the last number come to a stop. Unable to take the suspense any longer Pudding hopped up on a chair and peeked over his shoulder. Her expression soon mirrored his own.

"Wow…" she gasped, "According to this, Minto onee-chan and Kisshu onii-chan are—a perfect match, na no da!"

That tore an uproarious laugh from Pai. It was apparently contagious as Lettuce, even with both hands clamped over her mouth, couldn't help but join in.

Both Minto and Kisshu were extremely displeased…and red. Very, very red.

"There's no chance I'd EVER go out with HER!" he snapped.

"I've got far better taste than _THAT_!" she hissed with a finger pointed in Kisshu's direction.

"Oh so I'm a 'that' now?"

"As if you were ever anything more!"

"Whatever happened to 'Kish-kun'?"

"You mean the arrogant alien with no respect for women?"

"Who in their right mind would respect a stuck-up snob like _you_?"

"A gentleman, that's who!"

Taruto and Pudding followed the argument with their eyes, glancing from Kisshu to Minto and back again as the insults intensified.

"Heh, a perfect match huh?" Tart scoffed. "Perfectly _mis_matched is more like it."

"Hm," Pudding scratched her head and stared at the results, "I guess you're right, na no da. This thing _is_ busted. And the warranty just ran out, no da…"

"Well, what now?" Tart turned his attention to Pai who resumed his grim-faced look with ease.

"Now we must wait for the Crisects to return through another portal. Until then, there is nothing more we can do."

"Aw," Taruto pouted, "that's no fun. I was ready to fight!"

The blonde Mew beside him giggled and clapped her hands. "If it's excitement Taru-Taru wants, then he should come home with Pudding, na no da!"

"Huh?"

"Pudding lives alone with her siblings, na no da. So it should be safe for Taru-Taru to come visit while we wait for a portal to open, na no da!"

"Heh, don't be stupid." Taruto scoffed, "Your siblings would freak out if you came home with an alien."

"They wouldn't mind, na no da." Pudding assured him. "Pudding will just tell them you're from a foreign country! Or cosplaying, no da!"

"That's just dumb." Tart muttered.

"C'mon," Pudding urged, "we haven't seen each other in over a year, na no da! Pudding wants to play with her friend!"

The pigtailed Cyniclon wavered under her hopeful stare. It wasn't like he had anything better to do at the moment. And it _would_ get him away from Pai and Kisshu…who probably couldn't wait to start teasing him about Pudding. "Tsch, fine. But don't expect me to stick around too long. Got it, Monkey Girl?"

"Hooray!" the yellow Mew leapt up and down cheerfully and pumped her fists in the air. "Let's go Taru-Taru! It's time to _**PLAY**_, na no da!!"

The others smirked after them as Taruto was pulled along (by his ankle) behind Pudding as she bounded out the door.

"W-Wait! Someone might _see_ me! We have to TELEPORT!"

Stepping outside a few minutes later Lettuce stretched out her arms and smiled contentedly. It was late afternoon and the weather was perfect. A few pink tinted clouds drifted lazily across the periwinkle sky while a gentle breeze kicked up and swept through her hair. Folding her hands in front of her she turned back to Pai, "Want to go for a walk with me, Pai-san? It's such a nice day out and there's a lake nearby that's usually pretty quiet."

"Okay." he agreed, though his voice sounded strained with nervousness. Something about the simple suggestion had tied his stomach in knots. Much more and he feared he'd start blushing again and _that_ was no way for one of the Cyniclons' leading scientists to act. Idly he wondered how many more times he'd have to go red to catch up to Tart's record.

But all thoughts fled when Lettuce shyly offered him her hand. Pushing reason aside he accepted almost mechanically and let her lead the way to the lake.

Ryou walked out and leaned against one of the doors to the café. He watched silently as the paired disappeared down one of the winding park trails.

"Ryou?" Keiichiro appeared behind his friend with a look of concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Sure, why wouldn't it be?"

The brunet glanced in the direction the porpoise Mew and stoic Cyniclon had gone. "It's just…so much has happened. And now, those two are—well, that is—they seem to be-"

"Getting along just fine." Ryou bowed his head nonchalantly and swung himself back inside.

"And that's okay?"

"Of course."

"What about you?" the chef asked sympathetically.

"Me?" Ryou looked over his shoulder with a smile. "I'm the leader of the Mew Project. That makes these girls my responsibility. So as long as they're happy," he lowered his gaze and smiled at his reflection in the polished floor, "so am I."

* * *

"Hey, Mama Bird!" Piper was back in his human disguise with his hands folded casually behind his head as he followed Minto down the sidewalk. "Where are we going? Back to the mansion?" 

"That's right," Minto nodded, "with Shirogane and Akasaka waiting for a Crisect signal the shop won't be open for a while. That makes this the perfect time to resume our normal lives and live like regular people."

"Heh, **filthy **_rich_ people you mean!"

The cocky voice made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Kisshu!" she growled, "Come out right now!"

"Sheesh, what a demanding little birdie you are." he mocked again and teleported into view above them.

After a quick glance to see if anyone was looking Minto put her hands on her hips and glared up at the arrogant pest. "Why are you following us? You know you shouldn't be out in the open like this! You'll attract too much attention!"

"Heh," that familiar smirk appeared. "I'm not the one causing a scene, Birdie. Besides, Pai and Tart are off _playing_ with your friends. So," in a flash he zipped down, took her chin in his hand, and wiggled it tauntingly, "I thought I may as well come_ play_ with you."

"What?" Minto slapped his hand away.

"You are my toy now, _remember_?"

"_**Whaaaat**_?!" Piper screeched.

"I never agreed to any such thing!" she snapped. "And as I recall you wanted absolutely nothing to do with me back on the ship!"

"So?" Kisshu shrugged. "I wasn't in the mood to play."

"Well too bad," she replied snootily, "because I'm not in the mood to play with you either. In fact, I can barely stand you."

Kish waved a finger at her in mock reprimand, "Tsk tsk, little birdie. Such rude behavior. And I thought you were supposed to be a lady."

Grinding her teeth she whipped around on him and shouted, "Oooooh! Just GO AWAY!"

And for once—he listened.

The little blond blinked. "Is he gone?"

"I don't know." Minto sighed. "But I hope so."

And without another word the two continued their walk home.

* * *

"Hanacha! Chincha! Lucha! Honcha! Heicha! I'm hoooome!" Pudding sang out as she passed through the gate to her house. 

Immediately four waist-high, black haired young boys came rushing out followed by a smaller blonde girl with braided pigtails. Pudding laughed elatedly as she was tackled to the ground and started to hug and wrestle with her siblings.

Taruto entered hesitantly and watched the dog pile hysteria with a look of unease that quickly melted into amusement. "Hey, Monkey Girl, is this really how people are supposed to greet each other on Earth?"

Honcha poked his head up out of the pile of limbs and braids. "Who's he, Onee-chan?"

"This is the friend that Pudding's been telling you about, na no da!" the yellow Mew replied happily. "Everyone, say 'hello' to Taru-Taru!"

A chorus of "Hiiii" rang out as her siblings hopped out of the pile and scurried back to form a single line. The term 'organized chaos' came to mind.

"Heh, yo!" he flung a hand up in greeting.

Lucha was the firs to state the obvious. "Look! Taru-Taru onii-chan has big elf ears!"

"Yeah," Chincha added, "it kinda reminds me of those guys from TV. Remember?"

Taruto began sweating bullets. _Maybe I shouldn't have shown off so much in front of those cameras?_

Before her panicked friend decided to bolt Pudding stepped in with a cover story. "Eheh, no no, that's not right at all! Taru-Taru is Pudding's friend! He came from another country, like us, na no da!"

The brunet breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't a _total_ lie (if you counted his planet as one big country) and it proved to be a fairly believable excuse for her gullible siblings.

But things never stayed simple for long when Pudding started spinning tales.

"How come he's got big ears then?" Lucha persisted.

"Well," she added in a whisper, "that's because Taru-Taru is actually in _disguise_, na no da."

"Disguise?" the boys echoed with interest.

Taruto gave her a wary look.

"Yep! You see he actually had to _flee_ his home country and live off the land to avoid unjust persecution!" she stood up, struck a dramatic pose, and punched a fist in the air. "And now he's come to us—the famous Fong family—for food, shelter, and **fun **in his ongoing quest for FREEDOM! Na! No! DA!!"

"Wooooow!!!!"

Tart's hand obstructed his view of the mystified children as he smacked himself repeatedly in disbelief._ That crazy Monkey Girl and her dumb stories! She just __**had**__ to take it over the top! Sheesh…_

Heicha giggled at his reaction. Since she already knew the truth (thanks to her encounter with Piper) she was the only one of the five who didn't buy Pudding's elaborate excuse.

Golden orbs glanced her way for a moment but jerked back to Pudding when the monkey Mew announced there would be enough time for one hour of play before dinner was started.

"So let's start out with a dog pile on Taru-Taru, na no da!"

The alien boy barely had enough time to stutter "W-Wha?!" before he was at the bottom of a heap of laughing children.

"Um…"

Pudding looked down to see her little sister standing at her feet with one finger pressed to her lip shyly. She smiled at the girl's inherit cuteness and stooped down. "Yes, what is it Heicha, no da?"

"Heicha was wondering...um..." she dropped her gaze and twisted the toe of her shoe in the dirt, "…when will she get to see Piper-chan again, no da?"

Her big sister smiled broadly in understanding. It was hard being kept away from your friends, especially your best friend. And it was even harder—when they were an alien.

"Pudding will take you to see Piper-chan later. Maybe tomorrow, na no da? Then you can play with him all day, na no da!"

A tiny smile appeared and Heicha eagerly nodded in agreement.

Whatever Pudding was about to say next was cut off by an abrupt shout of-

"HEY! Monkey Girl! Get these midgets OFF me! NOW!!"

Both blondes laughed at the sight of the annoyed alien struggling to stand with the weight of four squirming kids on his back.

"Okay then everyone, better let him up! It's time for hide and seek, na no da!"

Tart was afraid to ask.

* * *

Piper and Minto entered the mansion in their usual way with Piper teleporting to her balcony and Minto meeting him from inside. It wasn't that he couldn't teleport into her bedroom from the balcony but he liked to wait there and make her open the doors for him anyway. It was a minor aggravation that she'd simply come to accept (like having to cook his meals). 

"There," she announced flippantly as she unlatched the lock and walked away, "you may come in now."

"Heh, don't mind if I do!" Piper's eyes widened in shock when a brown and green blur shot past him straight into Minto's room.

The blue Mew turned around just in time to see Kisshu plant himself on the carpet right in front of her. He smirked down at her when she gasped and caught her arms before she could back away.

"K-Kisshu! I-I thought I told you to-"

"-get lost?" his smirk widened. "I remember. But you seem to forget-" with a forceful tug he yanked her forward and narrowed his eyes, "-_**you**_ are the _toy_, **I'm** the one giving the orders."

"Hey you big jerk!" Piper flew toward Kisshu intent on prying his hands off Minto. "Let her go!"

The green haired alien easily sent him flying back with a flip of his hand. Minto gasped in horror when Piper collided with the wall and slumped lifelessly to the floor. "PIPER!"

"Heh," Kisshu watched in amusement as she tore herself free and rushed to check on the kid. "You really do care about him, huh?"

"Of course I do!" Minto snapped hatefully from where she had knelt down to check Piper for injuries. "Piper, Piper-chan? Are you okay? Speak to me. Piper-chan!"

Rolling his eyes at the fuss she was making Kisshu walked over and nudged him with his shoe. "Relax Birdie, he's alright. The kid's a Cyniclon, he'll shake it off."

"That's doesn't excuse what you did to him!" she shouted with tearful eyes. "He's only a child! How could you treat him like this?"

Piper was already coming to when Kisshu grew silent and stared down at the bird Mew with a mixture of contempt and sorrow.

"Life…can be cruel." he replied in a deadpan voice. "It's best that he harden himself to that now. But he'll never be able to do that if you cuddle him all the time."

Minto watched wordlessly as he turned and walked away. When he was on the far side of the room feigning interest in the figurines on her dresser she looked down at Piper and smiled in relief. Kisshu was right. He wasn't hurt, a little shaken up maybe, but there was no real damage.

_Cyniclons really are a lot tougher than humans, physically anyway._

She stood up and looked over to where Kisshu was standing. It seemed he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. With a sigh she shook her head and brushed her fingers lightly through Piper's hair. The young blond beamed up at her, as happy for her safety as she was for his.

_But I wonder…_ her musings continued, _…if Kisshu's harsh behavior is just a cover? Maybe he's just lonely or—hurting inside?_

Not knowing what else to say she murmured softly. "So, I guess you're staying for dinner?"

* * *

Pai waited patiently by the edge of the lake. It was a serene sight, calm and secluded. He stood on the embankment with a perfect view of the water's surface as it shimmered in the early evening light. His pupils narrowed while he watched a few dragonflies skim the sun's golden reflection. Occasionally a fish would leap out of the water in an attempt to snag a meal then—as soon as it had begun—the lake was calm and smooth as glass once more. 

"_It's a good thing we didn't wipe out all the creatures on Earth." _a random comment from Taruto played out in his mind. _"They look kind of funny and some seem pretty useless at times but the Earth wouldn't be the same without them. Ya know?"_

"Yes," the violet haired Cyniclon answered aloud without noticing, "it's a delicate balance. To upset it would be truly unwise. This planet and its creature they…belong together."

"Pai-san?"

Turning around (and showing no signs of embarrassment at having been caught talking to himself) the alien silently acknowledged the return of his human companion.

"Did you—um, say something—just now?" Lettuce blushed.

She had gone off to buy some snack food from a local vendor and returned with two rectangular boxes that smelled like those spicy noodles Kisshu had once convinced his friends to try. Lettuce couldn't have known but he had actually found the taste rather suitable to his palette.

"_At least the humans have managed to do __**something **__right." _He had commented at the time while he swallowed another mouthful of noodles.

Wordlessly he accepted one of the mini cartons and the pair of chopsticks she'd gotten him then returned to staring at the lake.

"It's a lovely scene." Lettuce spoke up after a few minutes passed where she felt completely ignored. "It would make a beautiful photograph."

Pai looked down at her with a half-interested expression that prompted an explanation.

"Oh, um…I like to read travel books." she grinned and bowed her head sheepishly. "The pictures are so stunning. All those faraway places and spectacular views, I'd love to visit them someday. I—oh!"

She covered her mouth suddenly and threw him a nervous glance. Afraid she'd been rambling Lettuce blushed and looked away in her overly shy fashion. Pai had to smile.

"S-Sorry." she apologized.

"It's okay." he assured her, "I don't mind. I find it—interesting—to learn such things about you."

"Mmh," the green Mew uncovered her mouth and smiled back at him. "What about you, Pai-san? It would be nice to know more about you, now that we're friends. You're still kind of a mystery to me."

Silence prevailed for a brief instant as he glanced to the sky as if deciding how much he should risk telling her. But when he could find no logical reason (that he was willing to listen to) for not telling her, he resolved to divulge everything.

"I come from a highly intelligent, successful bloodline." he stated frankly. "No one among our species was particularly 'wealthy', as you humans call it, but there are those among us who are well educated and naturally gifted in areas of invention and bioinformatics. We're the scientists, the physicians, and the councilmen of our people. My family has always been well known for our scientific prowess. I was considered to be the one with the most potential to excel in the fields of engineering, weapons advancement, and genetic experimentation."

The porpoise girl frowned. _No wonder he's so serious all the time. It doesn't sound like he had much of a childhood. Everyone had such high expectations for him. Poor Pai-san._

He sat down on the grass and effortlessly twirled another portion of noodles onto his chopsticks. Lettuce quickly joined him but she could only watch quietly as he swallowed the sample and resumed the story right where he'd left off.

"And then one day we were contacted by a powerful being known only as 'Deep Blue'. He claimed to be an ancient member of our race, a god that had laid dormant for millennia, awaiting the return of his people. His knowledge of our history and the Earth was remarkable. And the things he promised us…salvation, a safe planet, pure and pristine. With our current planet's rapidly deteriorating resources and inhospitable climate we had become desperate for relief. Deep Blue was to be our savior, the ultimate solution to our dire situation. We felt we had no choice but to trust him. Reawakening a powerful 'god' was a small price to pay in order to save our species from extinction."

Lettuce nodded in somber understanding. Given the same circumstances she could easily see herself falling for such underhanded manipulations and empty promises. _It really was horrible…the way Deep Blue took advantage of those poor people and their suffering._

Memories of the not so distant past replayed themselves before Pai's eyes as he narrated the events to his one person audience.

"Everyone was becoming weak from starvation, malnutrition, back breaking labor, and diseases we couldn't cure or prevent with our depleted supply of medicinal herbs and vaccines. Somehow Deep Blue had learned of my efforts to repair one of the damaged spacecrafts that our ancestors had used so long ago in their commute to what was to be our new home. Hn, our saving grace. I even formulated a means by which to fuel the ship and generated a pocket dimension for easy transport of the necessary equipment and supplies. When Deep Blue approached me with the long lost coordinates to planet Earth I agreed on behalf of my people to serve him and venture into space to reclaim what was rightfully ours. Of course, I knew I'd require more assistance to complete such an important mission in time to save my species."

"So you asked Kisshu-san and Taruto-san to help you?" Lettuce's voice echoed in the background of his thoughts like a faceless commentary.

"Yes," he answered stoically, "Kisshu was among the most formidable of our species in combat. His determination drove him forward while those around him became too weak to fight. Taruto had already displayed remarkable progress in the rare ability of plant manipulation. In fact, I almost didn't take him along. I believed he would be needed more on our planet, aiding the people and doing what he could to increase the food supply. But Taruto was young and eager to join us. In the end Kisshu convinced me to bring him with us. And so we three set out on the quest for Earth with Deep Blue hidden away inside the ship's pocket dimension."

Lettuce cast a guilty glance at the ground and pulled her knees up tightly against her chest. "But when you arrived you found it inhabited by us—humans, I mean."

For the first time since he'd touched the subject Pai averted his eyes from oblivion and glanced over at the blue eyed Mew. His expression was unreadable yet lacked that certain shrewdness that always seemed to linger about him.

"It came as a shock to see our planet inhabited by such seemingly intelligent yet environmentally careless creatures. Deep Blue explained that it was the humans who had damaged the Earth, polluted its waters and skies, and destroyed so much the forests in their greed and blind ambitions. We were…_infuriated_…by the news."

_That would explain their 'fight first, ask questions later' attitude back when they first arrived._ Lettuce thought somberly. _We humans didn't exactly make the best first impression on them. I suppose it was a natural reaction._

Looking away again Pai continued. "Originally it was Deep Blue's desire that one of us go down and scout out one of the larger cities. Once we felt we knew enough about the species we were up against Deep Blue ordered Kisshu to begin purging the city of human life. And of course, as you know, we were met with very formidable opposition."

"That's when Deep Blue decided to send you and Taruto-san in to do battle." She recalled the Mew Mews first encounter with Kisshu's unexpected reinforcements.

"Yes, it was because of you and your friends—and Deep Blue's suspicions that Kisshu was carrying out his own agenda—that Taruto and I were ordered to leave our stations and personally assist in mankind's extermination."

"Wow, when you put it that way it does sound kinda cruel. Eliminating a whole species just to take back a planet you don't really want in its current condition, especially after you abandoned it so long ago." Realizing the harshness of what she'd just said Lettuce reddened and added quickly, "Oh sorry! I-I mean I know you had a good reason. For…for doing what you did…all those times."

He was staring at her again, with those deep pools of bewitching violet. It was obvious any sting in her words was unintentional. This was Lettuce after all. The most meek and compassionate member of the entire 'Tokyo Zoo Crew'.

Mercifully he decided to let her off the hook with a smile. "It's fine. No harm done."

Her sigh of relief would have been audible to anyone within a mile wide radius. Pai found himself equally relieved as he basked once again in her sweet and subtle gratitude.

"Thank you, Pai-san."

"I know my actions must have seemed exceedingly cold at the time-" he frowned and Lettuce could have sworn she saw guilt flash across his face, "-but I truly believed that it was all in the best interest of my people."

"Nothing could come before the mission." Pai stated solemnly while past images of her pleading emerald eyes flickered across his mind. "Deep Blue-_sama_ was the only hope for our species, or so we thought, and he had to be obeyed at all costs."

"I-" the porpoise Mew stared down at her beige sandals as if the right words were written there. "It's okay, I—understand."

The simple statement held so much more meaning than that. And the lavender haired alien interpreted it clearly. _She forgives me._

A gentle wind blew down upon them and for a time they simply sat there in the lush green grass, two figures by the lake, enjoying the warm summer weather with a beautiful sunset before them.

Surprisingly, it was Lettuce who broke the silence, again. Today was a day of record boldness for her.

"Um, Pai-san?"

"Yes?"

"Well um—you see—I was uh…"

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched her stumble over her words from the corner of his eye.

"…was there anything you um…wanted to ask me?"

He looked at her curiously in a manner that made her cheeks go bright red.

"OH! Um…NO…I meant um…well uh-" she hastened to explain before she could pass out from sheer embarrassment, _He thought I meant…oh…stop panicking Lettuce! You're going to look like a complete FOOL in front of him if you don't hurry up and calm down!_ "-s-since we were talking about our pasts and all, I just figured that m-maybe you had a few questions for me. It has been a while since we've seen each other. Lots of catching up to do, ehehehehe_huuuhh_…"

He actually laughed at her undue nervousness. She really was easy to fluster. "I wouldn't know where to begin," he admitted. Then a sudden thought struck him and his features eased back into their emotionless mask. "Actually…there is _one_ thing I've been rather curious about since our return."

Lettuce was intrigued by his sudden change in demeanor. "What is it, Pai-san?"

"Lettuce-san," he met her gaze briefly but found he couldn't hold it for long, "when the Cyniclons and Mews still did battle, there was the incident out at Tokyo Bay. That's where we had planned to pollute the waters and distract the Mew Mews with a school of vicious Chimera Anima fish."

Blue eyes widened in sudden understanding. _Oh my, I—I think I know where this is going._

"When you and I encountered each other under the water Shirogane-san had been attacked by my specially enhanced Chimera Anima. You begged me to let you pass, to spare his life. And then, when you finally reached him…"

The hurt in Pai's voice was both reflected and enhanced by the pain she could see in his eyes. Lettuce felt her heart twist and ache at the sight. _Oh Pai-san…_

"…you shared…a _kiss_."

Tears threatened to flow from her eyes as Lettuce recalled the moment he'd described and the emotions behind Pai's voice as he spoke.

"It really was a beautiful sight." he confessed much faster than he had intended for it to come out. "I had never seen anything like it. It moved me and—and it make me think, for the first time that—that perhaps there were certain redeeming qualities to mankind after all."

"We're just friends now," she whispered without thinking.

The remark was so spoken so softly and absently that his ears were barely able to catch it. And it took him by complete surprise.

"W-What?" he gasped, "What did you just say?"

Lettuce blinked. _What __**did**__ she just say?_

"I uh—that is, um—we…we broke up. Shirogane-san and I, we broke up early last year."

Despite being completely blown away Pai managed to ask. "H-How? Why?"

Kisshu and Taruto would've paid good money to see the 'smart guy' that dumbstruck.

"Well," Lettuce began, clearly embarrassed at having to explain (to _**Pai **_of all people!), "after Ichigo-san returned from studying abroad with Aoyama-san, Shirogane-san and I decided to try spending time as a c-couple. We dated a bit and k-kissed once or twice b-but there never seemed to be any real sp-sparks between us."

Pai had subconsciously leaned in closer as he listened eagerly to her explanation. A part of him had been immensely excited to learn that the porpoise Mew was no longer infatuated with her boss. Now he wanted to know exactly why that was. What had gone wrong? And how could the _next_ man avoid the same mistakes? Still the more cynical part of him scoffed that there was no chance that '_man'_ would be an _alien_ like him.

Lettuce blushed deeper at his close proximity. Grinning nervously she struggled to go on, "A-Anyway, our r-relationship only lasted a few months. It was a mutual break-up. Although we both cared about each other we realized it was more along the lines of friendship. I guess you could say we were kindred spirits, just not—soulmates." Lettuce sighed gazing up at the sky. It had turned out to be a lot easier to tell Pai about her ex-boyfriend than she had thought. Toward the end she'd even been able to relax and talk naturally, no ridiculous stuttering to muck up her words.

Pai continued to watch her attentively. _So…_ he blinked, _she isn't—spoken for?_

That alone gave him much to consider.

Looking back he had to confess that since his return he'd noticed a certain lack of chemistry between Lettuce and Shirogane. Meanwhile, after spending over a year apart, his hidden feelings for the Mew still refused to be forgotten.

It had started as a minor urge that would swell up within him. The desire to steal a glance during battle or exchange a few quick, heated comments about the futility of their causes. Now it had grown into a full blown attraction he couldn't ignore. But he wasn't like Kisshu. Pai wouldn't risk ruining Lettuce's happiness just to satisfy his own needs. He knew when to step aside—even when it hurt.

Still…the news of the break-up _was_ a good sign for him. With no competition he didn't need to back down. _It may be a risk_, he thought with a smirk, _but_ _I like my chances._

* * *

Back at the Fong residence Pudding and her siblings were doing a marvelous job of driving Taruto absolutely bananas! As it turned out there was plenty the rambunctious quintet of youngsters could do in just one short hour of playtime. And Pudding was all too happy to laugh and join in the fun. 

"This is nuts!" the brunet complained as Pudding emerged holding a white scarf she'd dug out of her sock drawer. He didn't know why he bothered objecting. It wasn't like anyone was actually _listening _to his protests.

"Come on, Taru-Taru!" Pudding flashed him a sunny smile and skipped into the yard, "This will be FUN, na no da!"

"That's what you said about those fourteen games of 'hide and seek' I had to play." the alien scoffed.

"It's not Pudding's fault you were locked in the cupboard, na no da." the monkey Mew let out a small giggle that her siblings echoed. "You have to choose your hiding places more carefully. Something with a latch on the front probably isn't a good idea, no da."

"NOW you tell me."

"Why didn't you just tele-" Pudding's eyes widened as Taruto shot her a warning look. _Oops, almost gave his secret away, na no da._

"Erm, well anyway, this game will be **much** better, na no da. You'll like it!"

"Hmph, I doubt it." Tart crossed his arms and looked away. Suddenly a piece of white cloth blocked his vision. "HEY! WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Pudding ignored the alien's demands and tied the scarf in place. "There! You have to be blindfolded, na no da."

"WHY?!" Taruto was really losing his patience with these games.

"Because that's how you play Marco Polo, na no da!"

"Yay!" Pudding's siblings all cheered and rushed over to gather around them.

The Cyniclon jerked his head in every direction as his ears were flooded with the sounds of laughing children and clapping hands.

"Now," Pudding announced, "we spin you around, na no da!"

Lucha eagerly waved his hand. "Can we do it Onee-chan?"

"Sure thing, na no da! Just don't go too fast or Taru-Taru might get sick!"

Hearing that Tart froze in place and gulped. _I really don't think I'm going to like this game._

Soon he was being spun around in circles by Pudding's brothers. Each laughed and shouted as they shoved him back and forth counting backwards from twenty-five. His guess, they wanted him good and dizzy. He was afraid to ask why.

"4..."

"3..."

"2..."

"1!"

Hanacha screamed happily as he gave Taruto a final push then quickly darted off in a random direction like his brothers.

Taruto staggered around clumsily for a minute trying to keep his balance.

Pudding giggled, "Taru-Taru, you look so silly, na no da!"

He jerked his head in her direction and growled (making sure to flash his fangs).

"Okay Taru-Taru, now shout 'Marco' and listen for everyone else to call back 'Polo', no da." she instructed.

Tart dropped his scowl and frowned tiredly. "_Why?_"

"It's part of the game!" Pudding stifled her mirth. "You're supposed to listen for our reply and follow our voices to find us. Your turn ends when you manage to catch someone to take your place, na no da."

Taruto started to argue but thought better of it. A malicious smirk crossed his features. "Oookay."

_I'll track you down. It'll be easy with my superior sense of hearing. And when I catch you..._

"Ehehehehe."

"Taru-Taru!" Pudding shouted, "Stop daydreaming and start the game, na no da!"

"Fine!" the Cyniclon consented, happier than he'd been all day. _Get ready to cry! _"Marco!"

"Polo!" That sound...it was definitely a male's voice. No good, he wanted Pudding.

"Marco!"

"Polo!" Nope, another boy. And just who the heck was this 'Marco' guy anyway? Some idiot famous for constantly getting lost? Humans had such weird ways of earning popularity.

"Marco!"

"Polo!" Aha! That time it was definitely female. But...no, no good. The speaker sounded much too young to be Pudding. Probably that timid little sister of hers.

"Marco!"

"Polo! Na no da!"

Taruto grinned devilishly. _Got'cha!_

Being an acrobatic monkey girl had its advantages. Pudding managed to dodge Tart with ease as he ran and dove for her at impressive speeds. Her siblings didn't even realize they weren't being targeted. They just giggled and raced about while the Cyniclon became increasingly frustrated with his lack of success. There were a number of close calls that nearly resulted in an alien-kid collision. Eventually Pudding started to get worried that Tart would trip over someone. With concern for her siblings (and Taruto) slowing her down the alien boy finally managed to tackle her from the side.

"HA-HA!" he crowed triumphantly when he pinned her to the ground. "I win Monkey Girl! Time to _cry_!"

A little winded but no worse for the wear the blonde beamed up at him. "Congratulations Taru-Taru! Now Pudding is 'it', na no da!"

"Huh?" Tart's eyebrows shot up from under the blindfold. "That's it?"

"Yep!"

"So…you're not gonna cry?" he asked dejectedly.

"Of course not, na no da! It's only a game."

"Grrr…" he angrily balled his fists on either side of her and tugged at the grass. "Well this STINKS!"

Pudding blinked while her siblings stopped to stare at them. "What's wrong Taru-Taru?"

"What's wrong?! What's WRONG?! I'll TELL you what's wrong!" his pupils narrowed into cat-like slits, a clear sign that he'd become enraged. "I run around CHASING YOU for almost TEN MINUTES and when I finally CATCH YOU all you do is LAUGH and say it's YOUR turn! That's the DUMBEST thing I've ever heard! After all the work I had to do the least YOU could do is CRY!"

The younger players watched sadly as Pudding's expression changed from confusion to hurt. They really didn't understand this new kid's obsession with making their big sister cry. But it looked like he was about to get his wish.

"Taru-Taru onii-chan," Heicha cried, "that was mean."

He'd just whipped his head around to yell at her for using the hated nickname when the sound of sniffling reached his ears.

Confused he listened closer for its source and was even _**more**_ confused when he traced it back to-

"Pudding?"

The yellow Mew struggled to hold back the tears threatening to spill over from the corners of her eyes. _Pudding should really be used to it by now, na no da._ she told herself. _Taru-Taru is always trying to make Pudding cry. B-But now he's really angry, no da. Maybe he doesn't want to be Pudding's friend after all, na no da?_

Slowly Taruto lifted the edge of the blindfold with his thumb and peered down at the whimpering blonde beneath him. Unbelievable…she really _was_ crying! He'd done it! Finally! And now-

Tart gulped.

-now he wished he hadn't.

Pudding's brothers drew closer, compelled to comfort her, but she sniffed again and turned her head to the side. "Pudding is s-sorry Taru-Taru. We don't have to p-play anymore if you don't want to."

Six sets of eyes widened at her statement. It wasn't what she said that startled them, more like, what she _**didn't**_ say.

_No 'na no da',_ Heicha noted with concern. _Onee-chan ALWAYS uses her catchphrase, no da!_

"Onee-chan…" Chincha whispered.

Pointing accusingly at Taruto, Hanacha shouted, "Look what you did! 'Nee-chan's really sad now and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Although the words stung enough to make him wince Tart's attention remained focused on the crestfallen Mew. The tears left tiny wet trails behind as they slid down her cheeks. He'd never seen her this upset before. 'Pudding' and 'depressed' did **not **belong in the same sentence. All the time and effort he'd spent to get this bouncy, happy girl to cry—and it was nothing like he'd imagined.

Her tears had an unexpected affect on the impish alien. Instead of making Pudding look like a baby he'd made himself feel like a brat. Taruto winced again as a sudden ache in his chest grew stronger and stronger until, unable to take it anymore, he turned away and shouted, "**STOP!**"

Pudding abruptly ceased her crying.

"STOP CRYING, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" he ordered, swinging his fists with such vigor that he lost his balance and fell back onto the grass.

The yellow Mew pushed herself up and leaned forward. To her amazement she found him clutching at his chest with his bottom lip quivering. "Taru-Taru," she remarked with awe, "are you—crying?"

Embarrassed he instantly shouted "NO!" and "Go away! Leave me alone!"

But instead of relenting Pudding shocked him by trapping him in a hug.

His first instinct was to fight her but when she started to apologize for making him cry his whole body froze. She cared, really care about him. That crazy, kindhearted monkey Mew. When he continued to hold still she nuzzled her face against his hair and whispered soft reassurances in his ear. She'd had a lot of practice comforting people, as was to be expected of someone who'd raised a houseful of children.

Against his better judgment, he ignored the urge to break away and gave into another instead. Blushing, he hesitantly slid his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. And he had to admit, it felt good to do, like hugging his mom, only…different, somehow.

Pudding's brothers exchanged glances and shrugged. They didn't really get how or why but it looked like the things had been resolved between their big sister and her friend.

Heicha smiled and tucked her hands under her cheek. _Aww! 'Nee-chan and Taru-Taru onii-chan made up, na no da! And they look so __**cute**_

But like all tender moments theirs couldn't last. And—in three-out-of-seven opinions—it ended all too soon. Pudding and Taruto smiled sheepishly at each other as they eased out of their embrace. With the monkey girl happy again Tart decided to salvage some of his pride. "I guess it wasn't such a _**bad **_game after all. But the ones _my_ people invented are still way better, na no da."

Pudding chuckled. "Well then maybe next time you'll teach some to u-" she stopped mid-sentence and blinked at him. "Taru-Taru…did you just-?"

The Cyniclon smirked back at her smugly while her siblings giggled.

She grinned and shook her head then hopped to her feet and dusted off her hands. "I guess it's time to start dinner now, na no da. Taru-Taru, will you stay out here and watch Pudding's siblings, no da?"

"Sure," Tart mock saluted while others cheered gleefully as it meant they would get to play longer outdoors, "I can handle these midgets. _Na_. _No_. _Da_."

Pudding blushed and dunked her head down. He was using her catchphrase to tease her, but in a friendly sort of way.

Tart grinned and watched as she turned around and entered the house with her cheeks still tinted pink. _Yeah,_ he thought proudly, _this is a lot better than making her cry._

* * *

It had been a good half hour since Minto had gone downstairs to inform the cook that she would once again be dining in her room. She returned to find everything just as she had left it—almost. 

An ebony brow quirked up under her bangs when she saw the two Cyniclons standing by her chest of drawers. Nervous expressions of guilt were written across their faces as they stood side-by-side (Piper in mid-air) with their hands clasped tightly behind their backs.

With half-lidded eyes and a sigh she drew a single conclusion. _They've broken something._

Miki immediately started barking, ignoring the aliens he scampered around her armoire. The guilty duo glanced toward the dog with visible sweatdrops.

_Aha_, she thought, _gotcha._

"Nice try boys," she stated smartly as she marched over to the armoire and threw open the doors.

Kisshu and Piper cringed when her eyes doubled in size as she gasped in horror. "My...my...my dance leotards!"

"It was HIS fault!" Piper yelped and pointed to Kisshu.

Minto whipped around and pinned the green haired alien with a threatening glare. "Kisshu...!"

"Hey!" he objected, "It was NOT my fault! The kid here was the one digging through your make-up."

Minto went from seething to surprised (and not the good kind of surprised).

"WHAT?"

Piper slapped a hand over his face. _This big dope's making it worse!_

The lorikeet girl had already crossed the room to her vanity. Pulling out her make-up case she forced herself back into calm composure before raising the lid.

"..."

So much for calm composure.

"PIPER!!!"

The inside of the case was a complete mess. She didn't know _what_ in the world they'd been up to while she was downstairs but half the contents looked melted with pink and red globs of goo running out of the tubes. The blush and foundation had been crumbled up so badly that there was barely any left in the containers.

_And I've got an armoire full of ruined dance leotards with ballet practice at 10AM tomorrow!_

From that point forward she vowed to keep everything in her closet.

_Oh no—my __**closet**_

"You two had better not have done anything to my expensive designer clothes!" she warned and stormed over to the large walk-in closet.

The little blond slowly leaned toward Kisshu. "Did we do anything to her closet?" he whispered.

"No," Kisshu whispered back, "I think it's the one place we _didn't_ do damage."

Piper sighed, partly relieved that she wouldn't get angry over the closet, partly dreading the next few moments when she would discover the many _other_ things she had to get upset over.

Five minutes later...

"And the cushions too? I just **replaced **those!"

Kisshu and Piper stayed glued to the same spot they'd been in when she returned. Since then she'd discovered almost all of their hidden disasters which ranged from calligraphy pens in the ceiling to puncture marks in her settee.

Pressing a hand to her temple she took a deep breath then turned to them and asked, "What...on Earth...did you _**do**_?!"

"I think you've already seen most of it." Kisshu shrugged.

Minto glared at him and clenched her fists by her sides. "**Why?**"

"He started it," Piper griped.

"Did not." Kisshu mumbled.

"Did too." the blond stuck out his tongue.

"Not."

"Too!"

"Not."

"TOO!"

Tic marks became visible along Minto's brow. "ENOUGH! You two aren't even making sense (or sentences) anymore!"

Silence reigned for all of ten seconds before Piper blurted out, "I was just looking around! I didn't move ANYTHING! Kisshu's the one who started teasing _me_!"

The blue Mew looked to Kisshu for an explanation.

"I just asked him if he had a thing for wearing make-up." the older alien snickered.

Piper's face reddened again and Minto could just imagine how things must have played out from there.

"So then Piper snapped back at you with something you found terribly insulting and that's when you fired off those explosive blasts that _**melted**_ everything?"

"Pretty much," he gave a casual nod.

"That was AT LEAST 25,000 yen worth of cosmetics, you know?"

Kish winced. "Yeesh, you girls sure like to splurge."

"Just the bare essentials," she hmphed.

"Whatever."

"So then I'm covered in melty goop," Piper launched into a rant, "and the psycho shoves me in that cabinet!"

Minto glanced to the armoire where he had pointed. _And that explains the make-up stains and rips on all of my leotards._

"I finally teleported out-"

"Like you could've done all along," Kisshu muttered.

"-and get hit in the face with a pillow!"

_Mother's best cushions_, Minto moaned and shook her head. _I've really got to stop borrowing those._

"So I grabbed one and hit him back," Piper continued, growing more animated with his gestures, "only it tears..."

"All right," the bird Mew put a hand up to signal him to stop, "I think I've got a pretty good idea of how and why it happened now." She shot a glare at Kisshu who still stood smirking with crossed arms.

"You two obviously can't be left unsupervised anymore."

A soft tap on the door silenced the conversation. "Miss Minto?" one of the maid's called softly. "Are you there?"

"Oh!" Minto quickly motioned for both boys to make themselves scarce. Piper darted into the closet while Kisshu teleported to who knows where. "Um..." she waited until all traces of the aliens were gone before answering the door.

"I have your dinner ready Miss." the maid smiled down at her through the crack in the door. "Three full servings, just as you requested. You must be famished Miss."

"Uh...ahahaha...yes, thank you." Minto blushed and twittered nervously as she accepted the loaded silver tray.

With a small bow the maid dutifully left to resume her other tasks. Grateful to have _that_ over with Minto shut the door and turned to face her empty room.

"You can come out now."

The closet door squeaked as Kish appeared right in front of her and dropped effortlessly to the floor.

"Wow," he beamed down at the tray, "you really do have everything served to you on a silver platter."

Rolling her eyes the bird Mew walked around him and sat the tray in the middle of the floor. She waited primly until everyone had seated themselves around the delicious smelling food before she lifted the lids to reveal an assortment of mouth watering delicacies.

"Dinner is served." she announced.

The Cyniclons didn't have to be told twice. In the blink of an eye both had sailed into the feast, grabbing, slurping, munching, and smacking their lips as they paused occasionally to lick their fingers clean.

She seriously considered halting the feeding frenzy to give the boys a much needed lesson in table manners but they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the meal so she let it slide.

Smiling to herself Minto shrugged and put her utensils back on the tray. _I suppose—just this once—it wouldn't hurt me to dine like a commoner and treat everything like 'finger food'._

* * *

Encouraged by his latest discovery of how good it felt to cheer up the monkey Mew, Taruto decided to try lightening her load a little by showing her siblings how to start a garden in the backyard. 

Hanacha, Honcha, Lucha, and Chincha were all eager to begin the project, the thought of having something all their own to maintain that would also be a big help to their overworked sister kept them motivated.

"Onee-chan's gonna be real excited when she sees this!" Lucha exclaimed.

It was an easy task for Tart to teleport back to the ship and grab some seeds he'd gathered from Earth to cultivate when they'd first arrived. Reappearing just inside the gate he walked around the house to find Chincha and Hanacha raking up the soil just as he'd instructed.

"Heh," Taruto propped his hands on his hips and smiled to himself. _And Kish and Pai make this leader stuff look hard. I can pull this off. No problem!_

"Okay," he tossed Honcha and Lucha each a bag of seed, "now start planting these along the rows they just dug. And don't forget to mark 'em so we'll know what's planted where. And you-" he turned and pointed a finger at Heicha who'd been quietly observing from the side, "-grab that watering can and get to work. These seeds won't grow if we don't keep the soil good and moist."

The little blonde—who Tart had come to like since she bore a remarkable resemblance to Pudding (though she was _much_ quieter)—grabbed the watering can and obediently scurried over to the outdoor faucet.

"Yep," he remarked proudly to himself, "things are running smoothly. At this rate, we'll be done way before she's finished cooking."

"Thanks so much, 'Nii-chan!" Heicha's voice chirped causing him to jerk and glance down at his feet.

His eyes darted from the dripping faucet to the little girl beaming up at him. _How'd she get here so fast? I must be out of practice if this kid can sneak up on me._

"For what?"

Heicha shifted the watering can in her grasp, it was approximately half her size and fairly heavy for a child her age. "For helping us make things easier for Onee-chan, na no da. She works **really** hard and won't ask for much help."

The brunet quirked a brow to show vague interest, "Why's that?"

Heicha shrugged, "Cus Mum's in Heaven and Dad's busy training in the mountains, no da. There's no one else to do it so 'Nee-chan looks after us and takes care of the house."

Tart frowned, that seemed like an awful lot to expect one girl to handle. Of course things on his planet had gotten pretty bad and most families struggled in similar ways but he also knew about her alter ego as Mew Pudding of the 'Tokyo Zoo Crew'.

Maybe that's why he felt so compelled to help her? Because he understood what it was like and he knew her biggest secret. Even if this project was just a little home garden he knew it would help her save money by not having to buy the costly market produce. Plus, it was a chance to use his talents for a good cause. One he wouldn't feel guilty about later.

With a look of pure determination he slapped a fist into his palm. "Okay midgets, get a move on! This garden isn't gonna plant itself!"

_And as soon as they're all asleep…I'll speed up its growth so that by morning everything'll be ready for its first harvest! Hehe!_

* * *

Kisshu sat out on the stone railing of Minto's balcony with his hand folded behind his head as he reclined against the wall. He could hear the bird Mew singing softly inside. The words were short and simple, the kinda tune that's hard to get out of your head once you've heard it. Piper had been pretty stubborn about going to bed so early but had eventually relented when Minto promised to sing him a lullaby. Apparently that was something she'd refused to do before. He had to admit, like the little Cyniclon, he was curious as to how she'd sound. 

Being a skilled dancer didn't automatically make you a good singer. But, in Minto's case, she was both.

_Which makes sense now that I think about it. She is part songbird after all. _

His first impression of Minto had been greatly altered by observing her interactions with Piper. Before he had written her off as some stuck-up, unfriendly rich girl. But after spending some time with her Kish found himself reflecting on her good qualities, the things he'd either overlooked or scoffed at before.

A couple of instances came to mind, like the time she'd defended the wolf Mew. The violet haired girl had shown up with the others at the docks as expected. But for some reason she'd refused to transform and fight alongside her friends. The stoic Mew would've been hit dead on if Minto hadn't jumped in front of her to block the shot. Risking her own safety to protect her friends, he had to admire her for that.

_Not that she needs to know._ he smirked.

He'd been lost in his thoughts for so long that he almost didn't notice when the glass doors creaked open and Minto joined him outside.

"Well well, all finished tucking in _Junior _for the night?"

Minto rolled her eyes and opted not to let his teasing upset her. Dinner had gone so smoothly, except for when Piper and Kisshu argued about whether or not Minto had anything to do with cooking the meal (which she didn't), that she'd expected him to make up for it later.

"He's asleep now if that's what you mean. It has been a long day."

Kish smiled wryly and gave her a wink. "That's my little songbird."

The blue Mew shot him a questioning look that turned to one of indignation when she realized he was mocking her—again.

"No one said you had to listen." she hmphed. "In fact, I would've preferred that you didn't."

"Too late now." he practically sang out.

Minto had to fight the sudden urge to push him over the side. It was especially tempting because he could always fly or teleport to avoid getting hurt. So why not?

_Because I'm better than that._ she reminded herself. _Besides_, she shuddered, _I still remember what happened the last time I slapped him._

"So," she decided to change the subject to something more relevant, "the Crisects have been unusually inactive lately. Do you think they suspect anything?"

"Who knows?" he shrugged carelessly, "Maybe they're just regrouping for a bigger attack?"

"That's a pleasant thought," she replied sarcastically. "You're awfully calm for someone whose planet could be facing total destruction."

"I don't think they're after the planet, Birdie. If you haven't noticed, whenever the Crisects _do_ show up, they're usually after us."

"That's even worse."

Kisshu chuckled dryly. "Yeah."

His dismissive reactions had really started to get on her nerves. "Well then why don't you teleport yourself back up to that ship and go find out where they're coming from?!"

The green haired alien regarded her with open amusement. "You think it's that easy?"

"If you can travel halfway across the universe in a matter of weeks then what's to stop you from tracking them down?" she demanded. "Aren't you supposed to be an 'advanced alien race' with superior knowledge and technology?"

Sighing contentedly he shut his eyes and stretched out across the railing. "We may be a lot more advanced that you humans Birdie, but there isn't much we can do with our ship. Truth is, when it comes to space travel, it's pretty inferior." _Not as inferior as your rockets though, heh. You can't even make it past your own moon without some kind of satellite or probe._

Minto blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? I've been to your ship. You're saying something as complex as that is—?"

"A relic." he nodded. "That piece of junk's something leftover from when our ancestor's left Earth three million years ago. Pai just managed to restore it with some of the scrap materials we scrounged up so it could fly again."

"Oh," Minto appeared disheartened as she walked over and slumped against the railing across from him. _So there really is nothing we can do…until they strike again._

Kisshu watched her stare off into space with a look of hopelessness in her eyes. Sitting up he sighed. "Relax Birdie, we'll get 'em. That bomb's gonna blow every bug alien on that ship to pieces."

Minto frowned, "What about the ones that aren't on the ship?"

"We'll exterminate them personally." he replied cockily and materialized his Dragon Swords. "Even with our weapons supplies lacking the people on my planet can still handle a few dozen lobsters with attitude."

Admittedly Kisshu's confidence did help her feel better. And when she stole a peek at him over her shoulder she let out a giggle. He'd lost his grip on the weapon he was twirling and nearly dropped it on his foot.

Minto chuckled, "Oh yes, I feel _much_ better now."

Kisshu grinned back sheepishly, the Dragon Swords lay crisscrossed over his chest from where he'd fumbled to catch them. A second later he'd regained his composure and hovered in place casually.

"Well Birdie, it's getting late. And with the kid in there I guess you won't be inviting me to spend the night." he bent over toward her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

The bird Mew twisted her mouth to the side and gave him an 'in your dreams' look. "Goodnight, Kish-kun."

That did wonders for his bruised ego.

_Yes!!_ he inwardly crowed. _K-U-N!_

"Bye-bye Birdie!" Kish called back as he floated up off the balcony and teleported to the ship.

Minto lingered outside a few moments, staring up at the sky as the dark ripples faded out. Her lips were turned upward in a secret smile. The perverse, capricious Cyniclon was not without his charm.

* * *

By nine-thirty that night the garden was planted, dinner was served, the dishes were cleaned, and all Pudding's siblings had been tucked into bed. Presently the monkey Mew and her alien friend were relaxing out on the porch, enjoying the breeze and gazing off into the night sky. 

Tart yawned and stretched his limbs as far out as they would go. Pudding still had no clue about the garden in the back. He'd managed to convince her siblings to keep it a secret until tomorrow (when he'd have it overflowing with fresh produce). It had been a lot of work, especially with the tight deadline they had, but in the end he could safely say it was worth it. Those little pests weren't so bad once you got to know them. Yeah, he could get to like kids (in small doses).

"Ahh," Pudding sighed in contentment as another gust of wind swept down through the trees and ruffled her hair. "It's so nice out tonight, na no da. Pudding is very happy to sit out here and relax for a while with Taru-Taru."

Grinning the Cyniclon found he had to agree. "Yeah, it is kinda peaceful. Those crickets are pretty noisy though."

"Not half as much as the Cicada Chimera Animas, na no da." Pudding remarked absently.

Tart's grin broadened. That had been fun. It was insanely hot out that day but he'd managed to come up with a scheme that prevented the 'old hag' from finishing her summer homework. _Hee hee… Serves her right. No one calls ME a midget and gets away with it._

"Hey, Taru-Taru…"

He opened one eye from where he'd been lying back on his arms relaxing and found Pudding leaning forward, peering at him inquisitively.

"Pudding was wondering, how did you learn to control plants, na no da? Pai and Kisshu onii-chans liked to use people or animals when they used Fusion, but you almost always used plants, no da."

Taruto exhaled and looked out across the yard. Every so often a small flicker of light would appear and fade away, a sign that the fireflies had joined the crickets, filling the night with music and light.

Just when Pudding thought he might not answer the pigtailed Cyniclon shrugged and replied simply. "It's a talent I've got. It's been passed down in my family for generations."

"Oh!" his blonde companion beamed, "Like Pudding's family fighting style KouEnJi Kenpo!"

"Sort of," he said indifferently. "Only this was really important because it meant I could grow food to feed my family and help keep everyone from starving."

Brown eyes softened as Pudding sat back and drew her knees against her chest so she could rest her chin atop them. "That sounds like a lot for one kid to do, na no da."

Tart bristled when she called him a 'kid' but for once opted to let it go. "Well I may have been the youngest person to master the technique but I'm also one of the best. In fact, that's why Pai decided to take me on the mission to Earth."

"Wow Taru-Taru, he must've been really impressed!"

A pink tinge spread over his cheeks. "Hn, well…at first he wasn't gonna do it but Kish convinced him that I'd come in handy if the plant life on Earth needed restoring. When we first got here my only assignment was to help replenish the crops after he wiped out all the humans. I'd been trying to fix things on my world but with the planet in such bad shape it was almost impossible to get anything to grow."

Pudding nodded.

"But then," Tart's eyes narrowed dangerously as he recalled the final battle, "that bastard Deep Blue betrayed us all and tried to take Earth for himself!"

The monkey girl watched him quietly. His words had brought another question to mind, one she was hesitant to ask. It was hard to talk about that day. The day she almost lost him…forever. "Taru-Taru…about the final battle-"

Again he glanced her way, this time curious about her tone.

Drawing her courage Pudding squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. "-what made you decide not to fight anymore?"

He knew what she meant. He could never forget it. Standing up to Pai and abandoning their mission were two things he'd thought he'd never do. Truth be told, over a year later, he was still asking himself the same question. _Why?_

"I dunno," he sighed, "I guess…I guess I just wasn't able to go through with it anymore. Everything had gotten so crazy. All the destruction and fighting, suddenly what we were doing seemed heartless. I knew it'd be wrong to continue. Deep Blue told us so many things about humans before we came. About how wasteful and cruel you were. But after hanging around you Mew Mews all the time we started to realize how good humans could be. You were fighting for your people just like we fought for ours. And…you weren't as bad as we'd been told."

That's when Taruto had started to look at humans, and the attempted genocide Deep Blue had ordered, in a new, clearer light. And when the truth was revealed he knew he could never condemn one race to save another (even his own). It just wasn't fair, wasn't right.

"We all make mistakes. Sure humans had polluted the Earth and messed up a lot the land but you didn't deserve to die for it." he tried to explain. "You were learning to do better. I—I wanted to give you a chance."

Pudding smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks so much Taru-Taru! Pudding is lucky to have such a forgiving friend, na no da."

"Heh," Taruto smiled his cheeky smile, feeling lighter and more like himself now that that was settled between them, "just don't expect the Crisects to show you any mercy. They're a lot meaner." He waited a second then inclined toward and asked tauntingly, "So…are you scared now?"

Pudding giggled and wagged a finger at him. "Nice try Taru-Taru, but Pudding is much braver than that, na no da. Besides," she jumped up and struck a dramatic pose, her right index finger extended toward the heavens, "with Pudding and Taru-Taru working as a team there's no monster in the whole universe that can beat us!"

Tart forced a smile as the sweat rolled down his face. _We're doomed._

* * *

_To be continued…_


	6. Fight for Her Love

**A/N**: The reviews have been great. Thanks so much! And sorry if Lettuce and Pai seem a little out-of-character right now. It's just how I believe they might behave around each other when not fighting. Plus we've never seen a lovestruck Pai so who knows how that'd affect his behavior? As for this chapter, I would've _loved_ to see something like this happen in the series, or the manga. But since it never got that far here's my version of how I think it'd go…

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Six: Fight for Her Love

Early the next morning Pudding awoke to the sound of five children stampeding into her room. Rolling over she saw a row of happy faces smiling secretively back at her. She knew that look.

"Isn't it a little early for guessing games, na no da?" Pudding yawned and sat up.

Heicha piped up from the bunch. "You'll like this one 'Nee-chan! Now hurry up and get dressed. We have a surprise for you, na no da!"

The elder blonde stared after them quizzically as Heicha and her brothers filed back out of the room. A few seconds later she could hear them out in the hall chatting amongst themselves. Whatever this big surprise was they sounded pretty excited about it.

"Well," Pudding grinned and hopped out of bed, "I'd better get ready so I can find out, na no da!"

In a lightning fast move she whirled around, grabbed hold of the sheets, gave them a yank, and _voila!_ the bed was made. She changed out of her pajamas and into her favorite orange outfit just as swiftly.

Her anxious siblings gave her just enough time to finish brushing her hair and get halfway done with her teeth before they barged into the bathroom and started to drag her outside.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" the boys chanted while Heicha giggled at her sister's garbled protests.

Ready or not Pudding found herself pulled out the door and into the yard. While she debated on whether or not to swallow the mouthful of toothpaste suds her brothers tugged her around the corner of the house.

_Why're they taking me to the backyard, no da?_

Taruto had excellent timing. He managed to appear on the roof just as the hoard of children brought Pudding to the garden. Squeezing his eyes shut he fought back the urge to laugh out loud. The monkey Mew looked absolutely ridiculous foaming at the mouth with the end of a toothbrush jutting out the side. He really needed to snag himself one of those camera things.

The instant Pudding saw the garden (which, thanks to Tart, was now overflowing with ripened fruits and vegetables) her jaw dropped and the toothbrush fell to the ground.

Lucha made a face when the wet end hit his shoe. "YUCK!"

"Wooow," the others exclaimed. "Look how much it grew!"

"In just one night, no da!" Heicha gasped.

Pudding arched a brow. "One night, na no da?" That's when she _knew_ Taruto'd had a hand in it.

Speaking of the pigtailed Cyniclon…

"Yo!" he greeted the Fongs from his perch atop the roof.

"Taruto onii-chan!" Chancha shouted.

"How'd you get up there?" Hanacha asked.

The alien just smirked "Heh." and leapt to the ground. He landed a few feet from Pudding and grinned smugly. "So I guess you like the garden, huh?"

The yellow Mew beamed. "It's terrific Taru-Taru! Thank you so much, na no da!"

"Taru-Taru onii-chan," Heicha squealed happily and pointed to the plants, "look how fast they grew, no da!"

"Hn," Tart brushed a finger under his nose, "told ya you'd see quick results if you did everything right."

"So you _**are**_ the one behind all this, na no da?" Pudding inquired knowingly.

The brunet shrugged. "Eh, I just gave 'em the idea. The midgets did most of the work. Though I _did_ stick around and give 'em a few pointers."

"Taruto onii-chan's an expert gardener." Honcha announced proudly.

"He said we could take care of the plants here and help you out by growing our own food." Lucha added.

Pudding smiled wider, "That'll be a big help. Thanks everyone, no da!"

That warm, fuzzy feeling returned as Taruto stood there watching Pudding's siblings beam up at her (and **him**) in satisfaction and gratitude. For once he'd gotten to play the good guy for the humans with no conscience-nagging strings attached. No planet facing disaster. No species relying on him for their very survival. Just a spirited monkey girl and her thoughtful family.

It was a shame things wouldn't last…

* * *

Over at Café Mew Mew, a dark ripple formed in front of the shop. Pai appeared and took note of the 'Closed' sign Keiichiro had placed on the pathway leading up to the doors. Until the Crisects were eliminated the Mews wouldn't have time to waitress tables for the sake of keeping their cover. As Lettuce had told him last night the girls were busy now patrolling the city incase a portal appeared. Today it was her turn to take the first shift and he'd promised to go with her, for uh—observational reasons. 

Pai sighed; he knew Kisshu hadn't bought that for a second. The younger Cyniclon had floated off with that cheeky grin of his mumbling something about 'lame excuses'.

Fortunately he hadn't bumped into Tart yet. The brunet with his frustratingly inquisitive nature had left the ship almost an hour earlier, eager for some reason to get back to Earth.

Without further hesitation Pai entered the café, noting with some small measure of surprise that the scientists hadn't bothered to lock the doors. _These humans could at least take the minimal measures needed to secure their base._

"Sorry, but we're closed today." a male voice called.

The pupils in his violet eyes shrank to cat-like slits when the speaker suddenly switched on the light.

"We're doing some renovating inside so-"

Silence fell when the lavender haired alien and blond locked eyes.

"-oh," Ryou remarked disinterestedly, "it's you."

_The feeling's mutual_. Pai mentally assured him, knowing full well his slightly peeved expression made that clear.

"Lettuce isn't here yet," Ryou stated, easily guessing why he'd shown up. "You can wait for her here if you want. She's usually pretty punctual."

Something about the way the human talked, as if he knew the girl so damned well, so much better than him in fact, made Pai's blood boil. The blond seemed to be bragging, _taunting_ him in an indirect way. "Fine."

Ryou watched him wordlessly for a minute before heading back to the kitchen and returning with some drinks. "Here." he offered and slid one across the table.

Pai arched a brow as he easily caught the glass before it could slide off the side. "What's this?"

"Lemonade," Ryou responded nonchalantly and took a sip from his own glass, "it's usually considered hospitable to offer your guests a drink when they're going to stick around for a while."

"Hmph," Pai eyed the drink skeptically for a moment. It smelled okay, looked normal and truth be told he'd tried the stuff before and hadn't thought it half bad. Why not? He wasn't going to let the earthling show him up on manners.

They stayed silent for several minutes, drinking their lemonade and looking everywhere but at each other. Finally Ryou broke the silence.

"You know," he began and sat his half empty glass on the table, "this isn't an easy alliance for either of us. To be honest, there's a part of me that still wants to lash out at you for creating the thing that killed my parents."

The Cyniclon eyed him warily but didn't respond.

"I know it wasn't specifically your fault," Ryou continued, "but with our history it's kind of hard to put the past behind us and give you my full trust."

Blue eyes pinned Pai in a serious glare.

"Those girls are more than just a science project to me. They're my **friends** and I'll do _**everything**_ in my power to keep them safe."

Pai sat his glass down and straightened in his seat. "While your devotion to the Mews is admirable I believe your _threats_ are empty."

Ryou arched a brow which prompted Pai to explain.

"I understand your desire to avenge your parents. And I can sympathize with the predicament you find yourself in now that you've been forced to ally yourself with past enemies. But the fact remains that when it comes to battle your skills fall far below your intellect. You are a scientist, not a fighter. And not both."

'_Like me.'_ Ryou could practically hear the alien's unspoken thought in his head.

"That doesn't make me helpless." he asserted. "I can still protect the people I care about."

"It would seem," came Pai's ever emotionless tone, "that that's exactly what we're _**all**_ trying to do."

And with that he rose from his seat and looked down at the young genius who did the same. A ghost of a smirk crossed his features when he noticed that the human boy, even at full height, still needed to crane his neck to meet his gaze.

"Trust us or don't, it makes no difference to me. As long as we have the same goal in mind." Pai turned to walk away intent on leaving it at that. But a thought occurred to him that if he did leave the foolish human standing there and go outside to wait he would miss the perfect opportunity to learn more about his failed relationship with Lettuce.

Curiosity can get the better of anyone, and Pai was no exception. So he stopped in his tracks when he was only a few paces from the door. "I hope you won't let any _other_ personal grudges you may harbor interfere with our objective."

Ryou stared at him quizzically. "What do you mean by that?"

The corners of Pai's mouth twitched in an unseen grin. "Let's just say that I know of your involvement with the porpoise Mew. Things did…not work out, as I understand it. So it stands to reason that you may still be bitter."

"That was over a year ago." Ryou answered. His voice and face betrayed nothing he might've been feeling. "And you were already gone by then. So what's this got to do with you?"

Pai knew he was treading on dangerous ground. Just by bringing it up he'd indirectly admitted to having some interest in the Mew. The experience had taught him just how risky emotions could be. Now he could better understand why Kisshu had acted so irrationally where the cat Mew was concerned.

Thankfully Lettuce chose that moment to enter the café thus ending their conversation and sparing Pai the challenge of making up a viable excuse for his inquiry.

"Good morning!" she called and scrambled to keep her balance after tripping on the front step. "S-Sorry I know I'm cutting it close. Uri needed a ride to the library for his summer book reports so I-" she froze when she saw the two males staring back at her, both with their shoulders squared and unreadable expressions. "-oh, um…d-did I miss anything?'

Clearly _something_ had been going on. But neither seemed willing to enlighten her.

Lowering his head Pai shut his eyes indifferently and walked past her out the door. "I'll wait for you outside. Don't take too long."

Lettuce stared after him before turning back to her boss. "Shirogane-san, what was all that about?"

Snapping back into aloof mode the scientist muttered "Nothing." and walked back toward the door that led down to the basement. "Do a good job," he threw up a hand as he left, "make sure to cover as much ground as you can."

The green Mew blinked, feeling completely left out on something that somehow involved her. But never being one for confrontation or awkward moments she opted to just let it go.

Ryou stood with his back pressed to the door in the stairwell. He could hear the sound of the dressing room door shut behind Lettuce as she raced to her locker where he'd placed scanners and other handy devices she could use to track the Crisects. Such things needed to be kept in the café since the girls would have a hard time explaining them if they were caught with the items on their person.

His thoughts turned back to the odd conversation he'd had with Pai. Opening up wasn't easy—especially with aliens—but it apparently had gotten the Cyniclon to lower his guard as well. And it confirmed his suspicions.

_So…he does like her._

* * *

Minto rushed around her room in a panic. The place looked like a disaster area with overturned furniture, misplaced cushions, and clothes thrown about on her floor. She was desperately trying to get her things together for ballet practice. Which, by the way, started in less than an hour. 

"Ayah!" the lorikeet girl shouted and tugged at her unruly hair, "This is a disaster! I'm going to be LATE! I'm NEVER late! Stupid Kisshu! I totally forgot to set my alarm!"

Piper watched her scurry back and forth across the room with a gym bag in one hand and the other busy frantically tossing items inside. Most of her make-up was ruined, her leotards a total mess, and the ballet slippers—well no—those were unharmed.

"Well Mama Bird," he chirped when she voiced her annoyance at everything's condition, "one outta three ain't bad!"

With a growl she dropped the bag and spun around on him angrily. "YES Piper, it IS bad! VERY bad! What am I supposed to do? I'll be laughed out of the dance studio if I show up like this!"

The blond just smiled back. "Aw, I'm sure everything'll work out okay (somehow)."

"Unghh…" Minto placed a hand on her forehead and tried to calm down. "Maybe I can just borrow some things from one of the other girls? Sumi's bound to have an extra leotard she'll lend me. We're about the same size. Then I'll go out shopping before the next practice and _PADLOCK _my wardrobe."

Piper chuckled.

"I just hope no one asks me what happened." she groaned. "Nothing short of a rabid animal attack is going to explain how everything got ruined."

The Cyniclon picked up Miki and waved him around at Minto. "Grr…you could tell 'em that your vicious dog went _**CRAZY**_ and started destroying your room."

"Bark! Bark!" the puppy wagged his tail happily and licked her nose.

Minto stared back with narrowed eyes. "I'm not even going to begin telling you why that's not funny."

_But that does remind me of yet __**another**__ disaster that's all KISSHU'S fault._

A thought occurred to the kid. "Waaaaiiiit, if you have to go to practice for an hour-"

"Two hours." she corrected.

"-then that means…?"

"Yep," Minto smirked, "you're going to the Café until I get back."

"But, but…!"

"No 'buts' Piper-chan," Minto shot him a glare and gestured toward her room, "I obviously can't leave you here alone."

"That was KISSHU'S fault!" the little blond protested.

"It's too risky." Minto remained unwavering. "You're going to the Café where Shirogane and Akasaka-san can keep an eye on you and that's final."

"_Awww_—oomph!" Piper groaned and plopped down onto the bed. "But it's so BORING over there."

"Don't worry," a sly smile spread over her lips, "I think Heicha will be there."

The Cyniclon bolted upright. "HEICHA?!"

"Yep, you can keep each other company." Minto giggled and wagged a finger at the horrified boy, "Play nice."

* * *

Due to the fact that she was running late Minto decided to drop Piper off at Pudding's on her way to the dance studio. It wasn't nearly as out of the way as swinging by the park and (despite Piper's protests) it was easier to leave him with the Fongs than have him gripe about being bored at the café until Pudding's shift started. 

"BUT I DON'T WANNA GO IN THERE!" he shouted and dug his heels into the ground as Minto dragged him through the gate.

"Well too bad, you have to!" the bird Mew gritted out, again surprised by just how much strength one little Cyniclon possessed. "Maybe next time you'll think about that before you wreck my room."

"I told you Kisshu did it!" he whined.

"You helped!" she shot back and felt a wave of relief wash over her when she heard footsteps coming around the back. They had just reached the front door when Pudding rounded the corner followed by her younger siblings and-

"Taruto?"

"Heh, yo." the chestnut haired alien threw up his hand in greeting.

"What are you doing h—never mind—I don't have time for this. I have to get going." Minto shook her head and shoved Piper into view. "I need you to look after this little terror until your shift starts Pudding. And would you take him to the café when you go? I'll pick him up there after practice."

"No problem, na no da!" the monkey Mew beamed, "Pudding loves to babysit!"

"Babysit?!" Piper exclaimed, "Who're you callin' a baby?"

"Hee hee, you _baby_," Taruto teased and pointed at the red-faced kid.

"Don't worry," Pudding stooped down with her hands on her knees, "we'll have a lot of fun. Pudding promised Heicha she would let you play together anyway, na no da."

Orange eyes glanced up to see the smaller blonde smiling at him hopefully. Piper gulped and went three shades redder.

When he turned to give Minto a pleading look she was already on her way out the gate.

"Mama Bird!" he called after her piteously. "Wait! Don't leave me here!"

"Bye Piper-chan!" Minto called from the sidewalk. "Be good! I'll see you after noon!"

"But-!"

"Forget it midget," Taruto laughed, "that bird lady just flew the coop."

"Taru-Taru," Pudding grabbed his arm and pulled him out of Piper's view, "don't be so mean, na no da. Piper-chan is sensitive."

The blond's eyes widened in embarrassment. "NO I'M NOT!"

"It's okay Piper-chan," Heicha rushed over and put her arms around his neck while Tart snickered. "Heicha will play with you, na no da. We'll hang out all day!"

Piper felt the sinking sensation of doom settle in. He was stuck here. Stuck with Pudding, her crazy sister, and evil boyfriend. Something told him two hours was gonna feel a lot like two days before this was over.

_I almost miss Kisshu._

* * *

Up in the Cyniclons' spaceship Kisshu stood gazing out the window at the blue and white atmosphere of the planet below. He had been left alone with his thoughts for the day (or until he decided to head down and start troub—err—helping out). 

The Crisects were taking their time making their next move now that they finally had a counterattack in mind. He remembered how quickly things had fallen apart on his home planet. The Crisects had moved in, been driven back, attacked again, fallen back, and so on and so forth until the Cyniclons ran short on supplies and manpower.

From what he could tell they were following the same procedures on Earth. So why weren't they back yet?

"Maybe they think the Mew Mews pose a bigger threat than we do?" he pondered aloud. Though the thought did little for his pride it did provide a reason for the delay. "I bet they're building up their troops for a major invasion soon. The next wave of soldiers will probably be the roughest bunch yet."

"They'll want to get rid of the Mew Mews and fast," he decided. "We've got one killer battle ahead."

That made him secretly happy that Ichigo wouldn't be there. His or not, he didn't want to see her get hurt. And having Ichigo around during such an intense fight would just distract him. She'd always managed to distract him.

But lately…

"_Keep it up Kisshu and I'll slap that smug grin right off your face!"_

…another girl…

"_Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment, Kish-kun?"_

…had been distracting him as well.

Kisshu sighed. His new toy, the bird Mew, had quite adamantly declared her presence in his mind. He was starting to think about her more and more, whether he liked it or not. If this kept up she'd be as bad as Ichigo. And he didn't think he could take_ two_ Mews juggling with his emotions and driving him insane.

"_He's only a child! How could you treat him like this?"_

And that kid, she was really getting attached to the blond menace. So what was going to happen when the time came for the Cyniclons to return to their planet and…and…?

"And what?" he asked himself. He really had no clue what they'd decide to do about Piper then. Pai, he figured, would want to take the kid back with them to be with his own kind. Taruto probably couldn't care less either way. But what did _**he**_ think was best? Well, one thing was for certain, "The birdie will have a fit if we try to take off with the kid."

And he was pretty sure Piper wouldn't be thrilled about it either.

"Ugh," he ran a hand through his bangs and bopped his head against the window pane, "first we're their enemies, then we're allies, and now we're probably gonna wind up enemies again. Humans are way too complicated."

"_That was AT LEAST 25,000 yen worth of cosmetics, you know?"_

And superficial.

"_Oooooh! Just GO AWAY!"_

And high-strung.

But still, there were some things about them that made up for it. With a grin he recalled the playful look Minto had shot him before he teleported away last night. The bird girl was fun to tease. Even if she did have a temper. That's probably what made it so much fun anyway. That and…well…

"She's kinda cute too." Kisshu chuckled and fixed his gaze on a particular point on the planet. "And I think I know just how to use her weakness to my advantage."

* * *

Piper was ticked, infuriated, HUMILIATED, and just plain upset. He sat Indian-style with his arms crossed on the wooden wrap-around porch to the Fong residence not even trying to mask his annoyance. Tart had been taunting him relentlessly about being a baby who 'missed his mommy' and would rather pout than play with his 'giiiiirlfriend'. 

"She's NOT my GIRLFRIEND!" he yelled for the hundredth time while Heicha winced (with a smile) beside him.

"Taru-Taru!" Pudding scolded, again (for the hundredth time), "Stop picking on Piper-chan, na no da. You're going to hurt his feelings."

"WHA-?!" the blond would've given anything to shrink out of sight and crawl under a rock.

"C'mon Piper-chan," Heicha urged, gently tugging on his arm, "let's go play a game, no da. It's no fun just sitting around."

Piper growled and yanked his arm away. "I don't want to play with you! Just go and uh…pick vegetables with your brothers!"

Heicha giggled and shook her head. "They don't want help, na no da. And 'Nee-chan said we should play together, no da."

"Well I don't want to!"

"Well what do you want to do?"

"Go HOME!"

"You can't go by yourself, no da. You'll have to wait for Minto onee-chan to come get you."

"That's right midget," Taruto suddenly appeared behind them and smirked down devilishly. "Now get your butt out there and play before I **kick** you off the porch!"

Pudding looked up from her morning exercises in time to see Piper reluctantly levitate off the porch and allow himself to be dragged across the yard by her little sister.

"Yaaaay!" Heicha cheered. "We're gonna play tag, na no da!"

Pudding giggled while Piper rolled his eyes.

"Heh," Tart smirked at her triumphantly.

Ten minutes later the little blonde was a lot less enthused about playing with her alien friend.

"You're it, no da!" she squealed after running up and poking him in the shoulder.

With a sigh Piper waited just long enough for her to get three feet or so away then teleported himself directly into her path. Heicha skidded to a stop and stared at him wide eyed. He took the opportunity to poke her back and announce impassively, "You're it."

The blonde's brow furrowed in a pout. "You're not supposed to do that! It's cheating, na no da!"

"I'm a Cyniclon," he retorted haughtily, "it's not cheating, it's natural."

"But I can't do it, no da!"

"That's _your_ problem." he grinned cheekily.

"Well I'm calling no teleports!" she huffed.

"You can't do that!"

"Yes I can!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nope!"

"Yep!"

"You can't!"

"I just did!"

"Well take it back!"

"Nope."

The childish argument had everyone outside so distracted that no one noticed when an unexpected visitor dropped by.

"Good day, Miss Pudding!" a masculine voice called.

A chill instantly shot down Pudding's spine. Chincha came out onto the porch with a freshly emptied bucket and called to the newcomer. "Hi Yuebin-san! Did you come for another visit?"

Tart drug his gaze from Chincha to Pudding with a look that demanded an explanation.

The monkey Mew felt a cold bead of sweat run down her neck. "Ehehe, Yuebin has been visiting Pudding's family sporadically throughout his training."

"Your father insisted that I come by to check on you Miss Pudding." the handsome martial artist reminded her with a smile. "How have you been?"

"Hn," Taruto scowled and flashed his fangs.

The noise drew Yuebin's attention to the porch. How he'd managed to overlook Tart when he'd been standing right next to Chincha was of little importance now. He recognized the alien instantly and fell into a fighting stance. "YOU!"

"Uh-oh," Heicha muttered.

"Is that bad?" Piper asked.

Heicha nodded.

Piper smiled mischievously. "Cool!"

Sensing disaster Pudding rushed to get in between them. With her arms outstretched she faced Yuebin and set her expression into a firm, defiant glare. "Stop! Yuebin, Taru-Taru is Pudding's friend now. Pudding will not let you hurt him, na no da!"

"Heh, like this weak guy could hurt me." Taruto scoffed.

"Miss Pudding," Yuebin was dumbfounded, "This is the evil alien that tried to harm you at the arena. He kidnapped you at the café and dishonorably held you bound while the creature attacked!"

Tart growled, this guy was not making him look good.

"Even so," Pudding declared, "Pudding and Taru-Taru have worked out our differences and become good friends, na no da. We're not enemies anymore so there's no reason to fight!"

"But Miss Pudding—!"

"You heard her baka," Taruto teleported himself so that he was hovering in the air right behind her and chided, "Monkey Girl and I are on the same side now, so you can't do anything. Nyaaah!"

Yuebin fixed Taruto with a baleful glare. "I'm sorry milady, but I cannot trust him. Not after all he's done. So, in order to keep him from endangering my fiancée, I challenge him to a duel!"

Pudding was dumbstruck while Taruto floated in bewilderment above her.

"What's a fiancée?"

"It means Yuebin-san and 'Nee-chan are supposed to get married someday!" Heicha piped up helpfully.

"Huh?"

"Um…Taru-Taru," Pudding tried to explain, "it means Yuebin wants Pudding for his mate, na no da."

Golden orbs nearly bulged right out of their sockets. "WHAAAAAT?!"

Yuebin smirked at the alien's shock. As he suspected, the kid knew virtually nothing about human customs. "That's right. According to Master Fong's instructions, I, Ron Yuebin, as the next successor of KouEnJi Kenpo, shall wed his eldest daughter, Miss Pudding, when she comes of age."

Pudding shut her eyes and clenched her fists by her sides. "Pudding already told you, na no da. Pudding will decide for herself who she marries, Yuebin. And Pudding will never ever marry you!"

Her statement made Tart feel a little bit better…but he was still pretty steamed at this Yuebin guy. _Let him go find his own monkey girl to play with. This one's mine!_

"We've been through this milady," Yuebin sighed. "You accepted the challenge to duel me for the title of successor and lost. The KouEnJi Kenpo must remain in the Fong family. Our union is the only way."

"You **agreed** to this?!" Tart snapped.

"No!" Pudding shouted back. "Pudding didn't know about that until AFTER the match!"

"So have a rematch!" the brunet ordered unable to believe that some old geezer could beat the acrobatic monkey Mew in a fight.

Pudding looked at Yuebin who nodded in agreement.

"Very well," he conceded, "we will battle again to decide the next successor of KouEn-"

"ALRIGHT ALREADY!" Taruto blurted, "WE GET IT!"

_This is it_, Pudding panted as she and Yuebin squared off to begin their duel. _Pudding finally has a chance to defeat Yuebin and reclaim her birthright as the twenty-fifth successor. And more importantly, she will no longer be betrothed to Yuebin! _

"Okay!" Pudding exclaimed, "Pudding may be a little out-of-practice and mostly self-taught, but she won't lose this fight, na no da!"

Ten seconds later…

"AAAAIIII-YAAAAAHHHH!!!"

_**KICK!**_

_**SLAM!**_

_**POW!**_

"OMPHF!"

Pudding winced as a swift kick to the abdomen sent her sailing back through the air smack into a tree. "C-C-Curses," she grunted through the lack of air, "lost again."

Tart slapped himself in the head while the yellow Mew slid roughly down the bark of the tree until she was slumped over on the ground.

Her opponent put a fist in his palm and bowed. "And with the conclusion of this rematch, I am again victorious. Milady, please accept your duty, our destiny, now."

"Urrr—urrrggghhh…" Pudding groaned.

_Geez how pathetic_, Taruto grumbled and shook his head. _Guess I'll have to take care of this guy myself._

"Now!" Yuebin jerked a finger toward Taruto, "Ever since the day I first saw you I knew you were trouble. Even then you were attacking Miss Pudding with a giant cactus monster! For that, and all the other trouble you've caused, I demand that you leave this place at once and never return!"

"Heh," Tart laughed in a 'go ahead and make me' kind of way. "I remember that too. You got in my way. For all the trouble _you've_ caused **me**, I'll make you pay!"

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan!"

"Are you okay?"

Pudding's siblings rushed to her side while Piper watched the two males exchange insults before starting a new battle.

"Ooohh… Pudding is fine, na no da." the semi-conscious Mew struggled to get back on her feet. "Yuebin may be persistent and stubborn, but he's a good fighter, no da. Be careful Taru-Taru!"

Heicha's expression changed from worry to pity as she suddenly realized the predicament her sister was in. _'Nee-chan likes Taru-Taru onii-chan, na no da. But Yuebin-san doesn't like him and Dad wants her to marry Yuebin-san. If she can't defeat him, 'Nee-chan will never be with the one she wants, na no da._

And another innocent delusion of childhood was shattered.

Taruto planted himself on the ground about six feet away from Yuebin and struck a fighting stance. He wouldn't use his knife or Ho-Rai-Den technique. Nope, he'd beat this loser at his own game. _That oughtta show Pudding who the best fighter is._

Yuebin arched a brow when he got a good look at his opponent. The kid was barely as tall as Pudding, if that. And he certainly didn't have any muscles to speak of. In fact, compared to the kinds of opponents he was used to fighting, the brunet was rather puny.

"You're kind of small for an alien, aren't you?" the martial artist voiced his thoughts.

Taruto's face reddened in fury. "WHAT?!"

The burgundy haired fighter shook his head, "I must admit, I feel a little bad about beating up a kid. But I guess it can't be helped."

"Kid?!" the Cyniclon started jumping about in a very kid-like tantrum. "Oh THAT does it! You're PLANT FOOD!"

Piper, Pudding, and her siblings watched from across the yard as Taruto and Yuebin launched into a heated battle. Punches were thrown, kicks landed, and plenty of banter exchanged. Soon both fighters stood panting with bruises, cuts, and scrapes.

_He's pretty good for a kid._ Yuebin realized. _But I won't give up. No matter what, I have to protect Miss Pudding!_

"This is terrible." Pudding muttered.

"This is awesome." Piper grinned.

"Piper-chan!" Heicha scolded.

"What?" the blond shrugged, "Tart deserves it for being such a jerk."

The pigtailed alien was winded but hell bent on winning. No way was he losing to a mere human that'd probably be a wrinkled old prune by the time Pudding was old enough to marry him. Wiping a trail of blood off his chin he smirked. _Heh, I'll teach him to interfere._

Yuebin shot the Cyniclon a determined glare. Even before the battle he'd already discovered his opponent's weakness, which—like so many others—was his pride. _I'll use that to my advantage._

"Why don't you just give up-" he searched for a word more offensive than 'kid', "-_midget_?"

Tart's eyes flashed. "MIDGET?!"

Yep, that did it.

"I'll show you who's a midget, GEEZER!" Suddenly the air around Taruto began to crackle and glow. It was as if the energy from his aura had become so overcharged that it was now visible to the naked eye.

"Wow!" Hanacha marveled.

"He's gonna kick Yuebin-san's butt!" Honcha exclaimed.

Pudding watched with her mouth agape and eyes wide as Taruto charged Yuebin with his fists leading the way. The handsome combatant bent down to launch a counterstrike but never got the chance. Tart was on him in a second, pounding the crud out of the surprised human.

In a flash of kicks, punches, and chops the elder fighter was sent tumbling across the yard with a cloud of dirt in his wake. When it cleared the astounded Fongs saw Yuebin's motionless form lying by the gate.

"Aw," Piper moaned and pulled his feet up as he hovered in place, "it's over. That went by way too quick. What a wimp."

"Hooray!" Pudding cheered and rushed over to Tart once the shock wore off. "Taru-Taru WON, na no da!"

Taruto's smug reply was cut off when Yuebin got to his feet and staggered over. "M-Miss Pudding," he grunted and fell at her feet, his head hung in shame. "Forgive me, milady. I-I've failed you and Master Fong."

Pudding smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry about it Yuebin. You're still a good guy. And you're a pretty talented martial artist too! Pudding is just glad that this silly fiancé business is over now, na no da."

"Miss Pudding…" Yuebin's voice trailed off as he kept his gaze fixed on the ground. He just couldn't believe it. He was—he'd _been_—the next master of KouEnJi Kenpo, and now, he'd lost everything. To a KID! And an alien menace at that!

"Aw, don't be sad Yuebin-san." Heicha patted his shoulder. "You can still come visit if you want. Dad's gonna open a dojo here someday. You can help him teach, na no da."

Pudding smiled in a strained way while Tart snorted beside her.

Yuebin glanced up at the two of them. From the looks of it Pudding wasn't the least bit disappointed in his defeat. But he couldn't accept that it was because she actually wanted this...this _**alien**_ to win.

"Very well milady," Yuebin picked himself up and brushed the dirt from his clothes. "I shall accept this defeat with honor and dignity. You win, Taruto-san." he gave a small bow that Tart didn't bother to return then narrowed his eyes, adding "—for now."

"Heh, come back anytime, _Baka_." Tart jeered.

The six Fongs and two Cyniclons stood at the gate and watched Yuebin disappear into the distance. Some were a little sad to see him go so soon and waved good-bye or wished him well. Others remained silent—while Taruto imagined feeding him to a Chimera Squash monster.

"Um, 'Nee-chan," Heicha tugged curiously on Pudding's pant leg, "since Taru-Taru onii-chan beat Yuebin-san, doesn't that make _him_ your fiancé now?"

Both Pudding and Taruto froze with choked expressions at her innocent remark.

Piper snickered. "Hee, hee! Looks like Pudding's Love Prediction fortune telling machine was right after all."

* * *

Lettuce and Pai returned from their patrol just as Minto arrived at the café to pick up Piper. Pudding and Taruto had gone early to avoid further embarrassing questions from the children. Thankfully her brothers were old enough to stay by themselves during the daytime. Heicha had come along with Piper and both were currently upstairs playing with something Keiichiro had picked up for them at the local game shop. 

"Where'd everyone go?" Minto questioned after noticing how empty the room was.

"Piper-chan and Heicha are playing upstairs, na no da." Pudding answered.

"And Ryou is downstairs waiting for the latest readout to finish printing." Keiichiro added.

"So," Taruto glanced at Pai, "find anything?"

Pai shook his head in the negative.

"Where's Kisshu?"

The space above them rippled, "Right here!"

Pai grimaced, he hated the way Kisshu always liked to lounge about then materialize right after everyone else had done the hard work.

Minto felt her cheeks grow hot when Kisshu looked down and gave her a wink. She hurriedly diverted her gaze to Lettuce to find her preoccupied with staring at Pai. Minto smirked. _Could she __**be**__ more obvious?_

The door to the stairwell opened and shut drawing everyone's attention to Ryou.

"Well?" he asked expectantly.

"We scanned the outer perimeter and worked our way in." Pai informed him. "There was no sign of the enemy."

Blue eyes shifted to Lettuce who nodded in agreement.

"Okay then, Pudding's got the next shift so go home and rest up for tomorrow."

"I hate to say it," Keiichiro frowned, "but the Crisects better show up soon. We can't keep the café closed forever. It'll attract too much suspicion."

"Right!" Pudding struck a determined pose, "Pudding will sniff out the enemy and save the day, na no da!"

"Tart," Pai instructed, "go with her."

The brunet's eyes widened as she skipped off toward the changing room. "In there?!" he pointed.

Lettuce covered her mouth when Pai snapped indignantly. "NO! On patrol!"

Tart wiped his brow in relief while Kisshu floated down behind him. "Hehe, nice try squirt."

Feeling she wouldn't be able to hold back her laughter much longer Lettuce announced that she was going to give the scanners to Pudding and rushed out of the room. Pai shot Taruto a glare that made him grin sheepishly.

"Lettuce onee-chan, na no da!" Pudding beamed when her friend entered the room. "How did everything go?"

"It went fine," Lettuce blinked and held out the scanner, "didn't you hear Pai-san explain that we didn't find any Crisects?"

Putting the device aside Pudding leaned in and lowered her voice. "Nooo, how did things go with you and _Pai onii-chan_, no da?"

"W-What?!"

Pudding's tone went from hushed to devious as she smirked naughtily at her nervous teammate. "Did you have a 'good time', na no da? Did you _kiss_ him?" her eyes sparkled mischievously, "Did you **make-out**, na no da??"

_I should've waited outside._ Lettuce panicked. She did NOT want to be having this conversation, and with PUDDING of all people! For an innocent-looking, naïve young girl she could be pretty scandalous when she wanted.

"What's all the whispering about?"

The girls whipped their heads around to see Minto standing in the doorway. Lettuce had never been so happy to see someone in her life! (Excluding Pai's return, of course.)

"Minto-san!" she practically tackled the bird Mew in her joy. "I-I was just wishing Pudding-san good luck on her patrol!"

"Oh," Minto eyed her friend strangely until Lettuce blushed and let her go.

"Why aren't you outside with the others?" Pudding asked, a little put-off by not getting her juicy questions answered. "You don't have patrol until three, na no da."

Minto hmphed. "Kish-kun—I mean, Kisshu—wouldn't stop flirting with me. So I came in here to get away. And Ryou's going to find himself another Mew short if he doesn't stop scheduling my patrol during tea time!"

"At least we have help now." Lettuce tried to sound optimistic.

"And Shirogane and Akasaka onii-chans shortened our patrols and took the last two shifts themselves, na no da."

"That still leaves us wide open if those bug aliens attack late at night." Minto mumbled.

A heavy silence fell over the worried Mews. Pudding grew uncomfortable first and broke it. "Don't worry team, Pudding will find those bad guys! Just leave it to me—and Taru-Taru, no da!"

Minto and Lettuce watched her march out with her head high and fist pumping the air.

"What's gotten into her?"

"What do you mean?" Lettuce smiled, "That's how Pudding-san always acts."

"Speaking of acts," Minto smirked slyly, "what's up with you and Pai, hm?"

Lettuce grew so red steam poured out her collar. "W-What?! What do you mean?"

_Why does everyone keep asking me about that?!_

"Oh come on," Minto teased, "I saw you two back on the ship. That lovey dovey moment could only mean one thing."

Lettuce gulped. "A-And what's that?"

"That's you're in looooove." Minto taunted in a singsong voice.

"WHAT?!" Lettuce's squeak sounded more like a boiling tea kettle. "W-Why would you say that? He…he only kissed me on the head!"

"Calm down," the bird Mew giggled. "Everyone will hear you if you don't get a hold of yourself."

"I…I'm sorry," Lettuce apologized, "it's just, I don't know how you could interpret that as l-love. It…it's not really romantic, after all. J-Just a…a sweet gesture!"

"So then," Minto eyed her skeptically, "you're not interested in Pai?"

"Oh no!" Lettuce blurted, "It's not like that!"

"So then, you are?"

"Oh no! It's just-," the porpoise girl paused to order her thoughts. Her friends were asking her questions that not even she had found the answers to yet. With a deep breath she attempted to explain. "It's just…no one's ever looked at me like he does."

Minto looked at her incredulously. "Huh?"

"His eyes," Lettuce sighed dreamily. "His eyes are so deep and violet, just like the ocean at sunset on one of those tropical islands I always read about. And—_ahhhh_—I could get lost in those eyes. Just stare into them forever."

The blue Mew rolled her eyes. "That settles it then. You've got it bad."

When she snapped out of her daze Lettuce found herself hunched over with her hands clasped under her chin. She imagined the goofy grin on her face and flushed. "O-Oh my. I-I guess I do, don't I?"

"Yes," Minto grinned, "you do."

Feeling suddenly defensive she countered. "W-Well what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Y-You and Kisshu-san, of course."

Brown eyes widened. "You think _**I**_ like KISSHU?!"

"Shh!" Lettuce pressed a finger to her lips. "Cyniclons have much better hearing than we do."

Mint's cheeks were tinged with pink as she struggled against the desire to fire back that she had absolutely no interest whatsoever in the invasive, flirtatious creep.

"What would even give you that _idea_?" she managed at last.

"I don't know," Lettuce sighed, knowing full well she wasn't going to get anywhere with this. Minto was just too defensive to admit her true feelings. "Maybe it was just my imagination?"

"Well if that's the case then you've got one twisted imagination Lettuce." Minto huffed and spun on her heel to exit the room. "Hmph!"

What she saw when she came out was about as shocking as it was funny.

In the short time that she was out of the room Piper and Heicha had managed to set up what had to be five or more boxes of dominos all over the café. Keiichiro chuckled while Ryou looked ready to flip out over the mess. Dominos were lined up down the stairs, around tables, along the chairs, across the kitchen counters, leading all the way up to the register.

"Ready?" her charge's voice called from somewhere upstairs.

"Yep!" another voice that was unmistakably Heicha's affirmed.

"Here it goes!"

The sound of a single domino tipping into another came followed by several more, louder clacks as the row leading down the steps (and the propped open door) collapsed into the one winding around the dining area.

The Cyniclons and Pudding stood in the midst of the falling dominos seemingly unfazed by the commotion around them. Pudding and Taruto were eagerly watching while Kisshu seemed mildly amused. Pai just stood with his arms crossed wearing a stoic expression which made him the most comical looking member of the bunch.

Minto stepped out with Lettuce close behind just as the dominos tipped over the back of a chair and hit the line stacked across the counter of the kitchen window where orders were passed through.

Their eyes followed the dominos while Piper appeared beside them holding Heicha under her shoulders.

"See," he chuckled, "I told you stacking them up that chair would work."

"It's almost done, na no da!" she pointed excitedly as one-by-one the dominos leading up the stack of phone and cookbooks by the register fell over.

Finally the next to the last domino knocked into the final piece and sent it tipping over the top of the register. Just as planned it landed on the 'sale' button and sent the drawer flying out with a loud chime.

"YES!"

"YAY!"

The youngsters shouted in unison.

Keiichiro, the Mews, and even two-thirds of the other Cyniclons clapped. Pai remained silent while Ryou went to get the broom.

Minto's amusement was short-lived when Kisshu teleported over and slid his hands around her shoulders. "Aw, there you are my little tweety pie."

She cringed and pulled away, not even wanting to see the look on Lettuce's face. "Don't call me that!"

Kisshu remained undaunted, he was good at that. "Well what should I call you then? Songbird? Angel? Birdie-chan?"

Before Mint could haul off and slug him Taruto and Piper started an argument in the middle of the room.

"Looks like you and your _girlfriend_ had fun playing together after all. Huh, Piper-_chan_?"

The blond alien fumed. "Stop saying that! She's not my girlfriend!"

Heicha looked up from where he'd half-sat, half-dropped her down when the insult war began. Both aliens were hovering above her now as Pudding came to stand next to her and called to Tart.

"Taru-Taru! Stop doing bad things right now. Pudding needs to go on patrol, na no da."

Kisshu saw his chance to put his 'get to Minto through the kid' plan into action. In a split second he was looming over Tart with a taunting expression.

"Why don't you just knock it off already Tart? Everyone knows you're only picking on the kid because he's the only one shorter than you. Ha! Ha!"

Taruto was taken aback by the unexpected way Kish had rushed to Piper's aid.

Behind the green haired alien Piper smirked in a 'Now who's laughing?' fashion.

"Yeah Tart, you've always been kind of a Mama's Boy."

The brunet's jaw fell. After all they'd been through he couldn't BELIEVE Kisshu had the audacity to say that to him! In front of EVERYONE!

_And since when does he like kids?!_

Pai was just as puzzled until he caught Kisshu check out of the corner of his eye to make sure the bird Mew was watching. Then it all became clear, crystal clear. _Unghh, here we go again._

Kisshu turned as though he were explaining things to Piper. "I guess he figured that if he came out here and annihilated a few earthlings it'd make everyone see him as less of a kid. We really shouldn't have encouraged him, right Pai?"

"Leave me out of this."

Pudding grabbed Heicha and backed away. Tart looked ready to explode at any moment.

As for Piper, he was liking Kisshu more and more. _This guy's not half bad. Ha! Ha! Just look at Taruto's face!_

A few minutes after all hell broke loose and Ryou threatened to intervene with the broom, the monkey Mew noticed the absence of one of her teammates.

"Lettuce onee-chan?"

Wondering upstairs she found the green haired girl sitting at Ryou's desk in front of the computer.

Pudding arched her brows. "Lettuce onee-chan?" the porpoise Mew jumped, "What're you doing up here, na no da?"

"Oh um…Pudding-san," Lettuce spun around in the chair and guilty cast her gaze to the floor. "I…uh…I came up to get the boxes for the dominos and—well—I noticed the computer was on so I figured I'd check my e-mail while I was at it. I've been expecting a reply from Ichigo-san." she rapidly explained.

"Oh," Pudding blinked and entered the room, "did you get one, no da?"

"Well—uh—yes, I did." blue eyes remained downcast as she folded her hands in her lap.

"Really?" Pudding smiled and bounced over, "What did it say, na no da?"

Drawing a deep breath Lettuce sighed and turned back to the screen, "According to this, Ichigo-san didn't know about all the trouble we were having with the Crisects."

"Huh?"

"She didn't realize how badly outnumbered and overworked we are." Lettuce explained. "Neither did the others. And they didn't know the Cyniclons were back either."

Pudding was just as surprised by the news as Lettuce had been. "But—why? Didn't Minto onee-chan tell them, na no da?"

"No," Lettuce shook her head. "She kept them in the dark."

"Why would she do that?!" Pudding exclaimed. "It makes no sense to hide things like this from each other. We're a TEAM, na no da! We should be fighting together!"

"Well, Ichigo-san did say that they were finished with their mission and had planned on coming back as soon as Zakuro-san's final public appearance was over."

"And?"

"And now that she knows how much trouble we're in she's explained things to the others. Zakuro-san's cancelled the public appearance and they're coming over on the next flight out."

Pudding gasped. "When's that, no da?"

"Early this morning," Lettuce answered, "Even if their flight got delayed they should be back any time now."

"Hmm…" the monkey girl tucked a finger under her chin in thought. "Minto onee-chan probably won't like this, will she, na no da?"

Lettuce looked doubtful, "Probably not."

Back downstairs Pai and Keiichiro had managed to pull the two squabbling Cyniclons apart when a loud noise suddenly erupted from downstairs.

_BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEP!_

In a flash Pudding and Lettuce had raced down to rejoin the group.

"What's happening, na no da?!" the former shouted over the blaring sirens.

"The alarm!" Pai exclaimed. "Our sensors have detected the formation of another portal!"

"WHAT?!" the young blonde and brunet called with their fingers in their ears.

"IN OTHER WORDS," Kish spoke loudly, "**THEY'RE HERE!**"

Blinking red lights flashed across their startled figures as everyone rushed to the basement.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	7. Too Much to Lose, Piper's Story

**A/N**: Me and my evil cliffhangers. Guess it's time to get the battle underway. Thanks for the reviews! I'm doing my best to keep everyone in-character during these more dramatic scenes. And it's about time to reunite all the Mews. Plus, as you might've guessed, there's more to Piper's story than just jumping through a portal and crashing into Minto.

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Seven: Too Much to Lose, Piper's Story

Keiichiro reached the computers ahead of the others and instantly began typing in codes to pinpoint the exact location of the signal. It was a bit more difficult than usual due to the alien technology which was still very much foreign to him. Soon the room was filled with Mews and Cyniclons awaiting news of the portal.

"Keiichiro," Ryou was beside the manager in a flash, blue eyes focused on the screen. "Do we know where the activity's centered?"

The brunet scientist furrowed his brow in concentration. "The frequency we're using to relay information between the Cyniclon ship and our base is a bit garbled. The level of activity appears to be causing the interference so it definitely has to be the Crisects."

"But where _are_ they?" Kisshu stressed.

After punching in a few more commands Keiichiro was able to find the exact coordinates. "There," he announced, "at the Ōsaki Station, of the Yamanote Line."

"Yamanote Line?" Taruto repeated.

"It's the big railway line that circles around downtown Tokyo," Lettuce explained.

"And it's probably packed with people!" Minto exclaimed.

"We have the coordinates," Pai stepped forward, "it's time to move out."

In a massive surge of teleportation energy the three Mews and Cyniclons vanished, presumably to reappear at Ōsaki Station.

"Oh no!" Keiichiro's eyes widened behind the frames of his glasses.

"What is it, Keiichiro?" Ryou demanded. His own expression turned grave when he saw the increasing number of flashing red dots on the middle monitor.

"The Crisects have never launched an attack of this magnitude before." the brunet stated. "We've sent them into a war zone. At this rate downtown Tokyo will be swarming with Crisects in under twelve minutes."

Behind them two small figures stood motionless in the shadows.

"Mama Bird," Piper breathed out fearfully.

"Heicha doesn't like this, na no da." his companion fretted. "Those evil bug monsters are going to outnumber 'Nee-chan."

The blond beside her clenched his fist and stared ahead with eyes full of determination. "Not if we have anything to say about it!"

* * *

"Mew Mew Minto-" 

"Mew Mew Lettuce-"

"Mew Mew Pudding-"

"-Metamorphosis!!!"

As soon as their transformations ended the girls rejoined the Cyniclons in their Mew Mew forms.

"Took you long enough," Tart snorted.

"Look over there!" Mew Minto pointed toward the screaming citizens as they rushed around in a panic. Each time the crowd took a new direction another portal would open and cut off their escape.

"We have to save them, na no da!"

Pai teleported himself between four of the Crisects and a group of cornered humans. Whipping out his fan he struck out at the aliens. "Fuu-Rai-Sen!"

A burst of wind and thunder collided with the Crisects and drove them back enough for the humans to get away.

"Hurry!" Pai turned to the dumbstruck people and jerked his fan toward the cleared path. "Quit quivering and RUN!"

The humans didn't need to be told twice (and Pai was not one to argue with no matter _what _your species). With a quick "thank you" from someone in the group they hastened around him and ran to safety.

All throughout the station more and more portals opened and made it harder to get the bystanders out of harm's way.

"There are so many of them!" Mew Lettuce gasped while fending off her opponent's pinchers with a meager barrier she was able to form with her castanets.

"These humans are all in the way!" Kisshu snapped as he lashed out at the two charging Crisects with his Dragon Swords.

"Well what did you expect?!" Mew Minto shouted, "They've got nowhere to run!"

Suddenly a yellow light flashed behind her followed by an excruciating pain!

"AAAHHH!!!"

"Minto!" Kisshu cut down the two lobster-bugs in front of him and flew to her aide.

"Minto onee-chan, na no da!" Mew Pudding screamed when she saw blood flowing out of the gash above her wings.

If Taruto hadn't been paying more attention to the battle the yellow Mew would've been the second victim of a Crisect sneak attack.

"Yaaah!" he sliced off the creature's pincher before it could stab its tip through the unsuspecting Mew.

"Taru-Taru!" Mew Pudding gasped when she noticed what had almost happened. "You saved Pudding again, no da!"

Angrily he spun around and shook a fist in her face. "Pay attention to the fight Monkey Girl! You can't let your guard down every time someone gets hurt! It's a _battle_!"

Mew Pudding flinched and went red with embarrassment. He was right, as a martial artist she should've known better. "Sorry, Taru-Taru."

"Don't apologize," he snapped, "FIGHT!"

"He's certainly got his head in the battle." Mew Minto joked through the pain as Kisshu helped her back to her feet.

Behind them a dead Crisect lay in a puddle of grayish-green goo.

"Ew," she made a grossed-out face when she saw some of the goo drip off the tip of the weapon in Kisshu's other hand.

"Don't be such a girl, birdie." the Cyniclon chided. "It's either them or us."

_Sounds like the Cyniclon motto_, the blue Mew thought cynically.

It took a few minutes longer before the last of the bystanders had fled the area. This allowed the team a chance to concentrate on driving back the Crisects.

"The portals just keep appearing!" Mew Lettuce called, her voice strained by exhaustion.

"We need to put the plan into action," Pai announced.

"Right," the porpoise Mew nodded and signaled to the others.

"Okay, that's the signal!" Kisshu yelled over the surrounding noise, "We've gotta buy them some time!"

"Heh, no problem!" Taruto levitated above the chaos and brought out his red click-clack weapon (childish yet effective). Spinning it around over his head he narrowed his golden orbs on the Crisects surrounding Mew Lettuce and Pai. "Ho-Rai-Den!"

"Pudding Ring Inferno!"

A wave of electricity coursed through the screeching bug monsters. When the crackling stopped their targets were relieved to see the enemy encased in giant pudding molds.

"Hmph, never thought I'd be glad to see that attack." Pai remarked.

"It's good to be on the same side for a change." Mew Lettuce smiled and helped him to arm the bomb. "We'll get much further by working together."

While the two were crossing wires Kisshu formed a glowing green orb between his hands. Mew Minto gasped when she realized what he was doing. "Kisshu! Stop!"

"Relax birdie," the green haired alien muttered as he brought out a small animal he'd captured while Tart and Pai were away from the ship and busy with the Mews. Sporting his old familiar grin he prepared to join it with the Predacyte. "This subspecies is designed to be short-lived. The bond will wear off in ten minutes or so."

With that said he held the two components above his head and merged them together. "FUSION!"

The merger resulted in a gigantic bat creature with long fangs and eerie blood red eyes. Mew Minto shivered at the sight. It reminded her too much of the killer vampire bats in old horror movies.

"Go Chimera Bat!" Kisshu ordered the beast and gestured toward the enemy below. "Attack!"

She had to hand it to him, as troublesome as the Chimera Animas had been in the past, this one was giving them a great edge over the Crisects. The Chimera Bat set to work on chomping and clawing the bug aliens to bits. Pieces of segmented limbs, pinchers, and rusty red exoskeletons lay strewn about the station.

"Ugh!" the bird Mew closed her eyes to shut out the carnage. Suddenly she was **very **glad she'd skipped lunch.

"It's ready," Mew Lettuce sighed happily once the device was fully armed. "Now all we have to do is get through one of those portals and activate the countdown."

Pai scanned the area for the nearest portal. "There."

Mew Lettuce looked where he pointed and saw a large swirling vortex that had just opened next to the turnstiles.

"Right," she picked up the device and got up to take it through the portal.

"Wait!" a hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

"What is it, Pai-san?" she asked in confusion. "We have to hurry. This could be our only chance."

For a brief moment he stared at her silently, as if cementing a crucial decision in his mind.

"It's too dangerous." He declared solemnly.

Her expression fell. "But-"

"I'll go."

The green Mew was speechless when he stood and took the device. _P-Pai-san._ She remained rooted to her spot while he walked past her toward the portal.

Why? Why was he doing this? The Earth wasn't his home world. So why did he insist on risking his life for it…for humans…for…

Green eyes widened and trembled.

…her.

_He…he's doing this for me. Because…because he's afraid I'll get hurt._

"Pai-san!" Lettuce rushed over and threw her arms around him from behind. Burying her face against his back she wept openly. "Don't! I can't let you do this Pai-san! If anything goes wrong—you'd never come back!"

The lavender haired Cyniclon stood still with his back rigid while the distressed teen sobbed against him. He had been dreading this moment ever since their plan to construct the deadly device. Everyone _knew_ what would have to be done, the risks involved, and yet they forced themselves to focus on achieving their goal. Someone would have to enter the portal and plant the bomb on the spacecraft. That someone had a very small window of escape time before the enemy ship was consumed by the massive explosion. And he had known, from the very beginning, that he could NOT let Lettuce be that someone.

"It's too late," he told her, trying to keep his voice as cold and even as he could. "I've already made up my mind."

Slowly he stepped out of her hold and turned so that they were facing each other. It pained him to see the wet trails of tears running down her cheeks. Those gentle green eyes staring back at him were so full of anguish and desperation that he swore he felt his own heart breaking too. But, as always, Pai stood firm in his resolve.

"Your people need you. Your teammates can't defend this planet alone. It's only logical that you should stay behind."

"What about YOUR people?! What about YOUR teammates?!" the porpoise Mew cried in frustration. "They need you too!"

_I…need you too._

Pai shook his head. Lettuce was a smart girl. He wondered if she saw through his excuses to the real reason he wouldn't let her go. "They'll manage. As Cyniclons they have learned to survive in harsh conditions. And the one who plants this bomb needs to understand its workings and make adjustments quickly should anything go wrong. So you see, it has to be me."

Having said his final word on the subject he teleported from her view and reappeared directly in front of the portal. Pai glared into the churning black abyss that would lead him to his enemies' stronghold and (quite possibly) his demise. Drawing up every ounce of courage he possessed the Cyniclon clutched the device tightly and stepped into the unknown. The porpoise girl watched helplessly as he was swallowed by the darkness.

Even though they were still fighting the hoards of oversized insects (with a giant Chimera Bat flying around) his allies glanced over with anxious expressions. This was it!

"He's in!" Keiichiro announced excitedly. He and Ryou remained glued to the monitors at the base. They'd managed to tap into the security cameras at the station and had been watching the entire fight.

Silence.

…

CRACK!

"GNYUH!"

Pai came flying back through the portal so fast that Mew Lettuce had to dunk to avoid being hit. The eldest Cyniclon got the wind knocked out of him when he collided with the stone wall and hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"Pai-san! Pai-san!"

"He's out." the scientists frowned.

"Pai!!" the other Cyniclons shouted.

Mew Lettuce rushed over and dropped to her knees beside him. Gently she helped him sit up and rest his back against the wall. With a teary gasp she noticed the way his clothing had been ripped across the front. It left his upper torso exposed. The pale skin there was red and in some places already turning purple. No doubt he'd have some nasty bruises there tomorrow. In her mind she worried about the internal injuries he might've suffered.

"Pai!" Kisshu flew over and stared in shock at the damage. Something had KNOCKED Pai back through that portal. And that something was on its way OUT!

He turned to see that Taruto and the monkey Mew had hurried over to check on Pai's condition too. But the pigtailed Cyniclon couldn't have picked a worse place to stand.

Yellow eyes doubled in size when he heard the garbled hisses and clicks coming from behind his oblivious comrade. "TART!"

"Huh?" the brunet turned to see a hulking Crisect appear behind him with its pinchers raised to strike. He didn't have time to react. His muscles tensed. His mouth hung open in a startled scream. "YAAAH!"

"Taru-Taru!"

A streak of yellow stopped the pincher from hitting its mark.

"PUDDING!"

Tart's terror doubled when he saw Mew Pudding take the blow. She had reacted a split second sooner and dove into its path. The force of the impact sent her tumbling across the ground toward the railway map. She landed at its base with a fresh streak of blood leading over from where she'd first hit the ground.

Before her attacker could strike again the Chimera Bat swooped down and snatched it in its claws. That bug alien was history.

"Pudding…" Taruto reached out to her with a shaky hand. _Sh-She can't be…not her…she's not…d-d-_

"Ooohhh…" the rattled blonde moaned. "Cheap shot, na no da."

A relieved smile broke out across Tart's face. _She's okay._ He'd yell at her later for pulling such a dumb stunt. For now, he was just glad she was alive.

Back at the wall Pai groaned and tried to stand.

"Take it easy Pai," Kisshu coaxed, "don't be so stubborn. You got hit pretty bad."

Normally Pai would've smirked derisively and informed Kisshu that he had no room to talk, but this was no time for jokes. "The bomb," he winced, "we still need to plant the bomb."

Minto had hobbled over and slumped to the ground a short ways back. She felt completely useless with that gash across her back. _Stupid Crisect! This will probably scar!_

It was then that things went from bad to disastrous.

A new batch of portals opened, one right after the other, and Crisects poured out two or three to each. It was like watching the grand finale to a fireworks show. Only this time each random burst of energy released a new threat into the world.

"It's happening," Keiichiro declared. "If we don't stop them now the Crisects will wipe out the city in under an hour!"

Kisshu, Taruto, and Mew Lettuce took out their weapons. Each did their best to defend the injured Mew Minto, Mew Pudding and Pai during the onslaught. In seconds the entire station erupted into one hectic battle field.

_CLANG!_

"_Hsssss!_"

"YAAAH!"

"_SCREECH!"_

"Reborn Lettuce Rush!"

From her position slumped over on the ground Mew Minto spotted the forgotten bomb lying within arm's reach. Quickly she bent forward, ignoring the pain that shot out between her shoulder blades, and grabbed it. Blue eyes scanned the pandemonium around her and fell on the portal by the turnstiles. The same one Pai had tried to use before he was attacked. _It's still open._

But…she knew it wouldn't be for long.

After glancing around to make sure everyone else was too busy fighting to notice her slip away she got down on all fours and crawled through the sea of segmented legs and fallen debris straight toward the vortex.

Just as she reached her destination a familiar voice called out, "Mama Bird!"

Kisshu whipped around to see her standing shakily by the swirling gateway. "MINTO!"

The blue Mew cast them an apologetic look over her shoulder, _It has to be done_, then vanished into the darkness.

She didn't see when Kisshu and Piper both zipped in behind her just before the portal closed for good.

* * *

Onboard the spacecraft Mew Minto found herself surrounded by the large lobster-bugs. It didn't take a genius like Pai to tell her that her odds of survival just went from slim—to none. 

"_Bye-bye Minto! Take good care of our friends!"_

"I promise." she muttered under her breath as the creatures drew nearer from all sides.

"_I've already lost one mom. I don't want it to happen again."_

She held her ground and struggled to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.

"_I'm not going anywhere Piper. So don't worry." _Her words came back to haunt her. _"No matter how many times the Earth is attacked, I'll always be there for you. You won't have to lose me like you lost your mom."_

_It was a stupid mistake._ she chastised herself. _I never should have made a promise—I knew I couldn't keep._

When all was said and done, when she was perfectly honest with herself, she knew it wasn't the desire to save the world that made her stay a Mew Mew. In the end, it was simply the need she felt to protect the ones she loved. _My parents, Onii-sama, Miki, my friends, and now…Piper-chan. _

She was inches away from becoming a bird girl shish kebab when she snapped out of her thoughts and leapt to the side. Landing next to the dent in the metallic floor she shot a defiant glare at her hissing attackers and activated the bomb in her hands. Instantly the digital clock began counting down from twenty-nine (seconds). It worked! With the press of a button she had sealed the fate of not only the Crisects…but herself.

It was bittersweet victory.

_Piper-chan, I'm so sorry I-I broke my promise to you._

"Mama Bird!"

"Piper?"

The countdown was almost halfway over when Kisshu and Piper appeared behind her.

"You baka birdie!" Kisshu chastised her as he fought. "What did you think you were doing?! I've done some pretty reckless stuff in a fight but that was just _**suicidal**_!!"

Mew Minto ignored him; she was preoccupied switching between hugging and scolding the little Cyniclon.

"Piper! Why didn't you stay behind where it was safe?!"

"You mean in the middle of a bunch of killer aliens?" he asked.

The lorikeet girl smiled caustically, "_No_, I mean back at the **base** with Shirogane and Akasaka-san."

Kisshu was starting to tire. They were outnumbered and outmatched on the gigantic spaceship. Though the room they were in was dark with blue tinted metal where the dim light from the many holographic computer screens fell he could tell that it stretched out several meters across in a hexagonal shape with a door on each side. No doubt this was the room (or one of the rooms) where the Crisects generated their portals. He only hoped it was close enough to the ship's center so that the bomb would have the desired chain-reaction affect.

_Not that I wanna be here to see it!_

"Kid!" he shouted back to the blond locked in the bird Mew's hold as she shielded them with the small force field her bow could generate. "We're running out of time here. Get ready to teleport!"

Orange and blue eyes widened.

"I can't do that!" he argued. "I just barely made it across the city! How am I supposed to get all the way back to Earth?!"

"By combining your teleportation energy with mine!" the elder Cyniclon growled. "I know it's a long shot but if we don't try it we'll be blown to bits!"

The Crisect pushing against his crossed Dragon Swords let out a sound of surprise and backed off. Instantly all bug-eyes fell upon the bomb at Mew Minto's feet. Six seconds to go!

Piper bit his lip. "I dunno, it's gotta be light years away."

Five…

"Kid!"

Four…

"Cyniclons can't teleport that far!"

Three…

"You can do it, Piper-chan."

Two…

"But-"

One…

"NOW!"

"-grr…OKAY!"

* * *

Back at Ōsaki Station the others had managed to defeat the remaining Crisects—though just barely—and stood waiting anxiously for their comrades' return. Their energy was completely spent now. The girls had even reverted back to their regular human forms. 

"Do you think they made it, na no da?"

"Tsch, of course they did." Taruto scoffed from where he'd knelt down beside her. "Kish is way too stubborn to go out as bug food."

"It looks like the Chimera Bat has diffused already." Lettuce pointed upward where the small creature fluttered about completely back to normal after its exotic lunch. "It's hard to believe it's only been ten minutes since all this started."

"We can only hope they managed to detonate the bomb before more Crisects escaped." Pai said solemnly as the weakened Predacyte floated down into his palm. In a tiny green flash it was gone.

And then, in a last second escape that was nothing short of miraculous, the space before them rippled with an unheard of amount of teleportation energy. They had gotten out just in time!

Even Pai's violet eyes widened in surprise when he saw the trio back, safe and sound. Wait…trio?!

"What—how did HE get aboard the ship?!"

"Hn, how do you think?" Kisshu panted and tossed a quick glance at the blond. "The little pest tailed me right through the portal."

"Hey!" Piper snapped, "This 'little pest' just saved your butt!"

Mew Minto sighed and leaned her full weight on Kisshu as her transformation faded away. "Please tell me we got them all."

"We defeated the last of the Crisects here." Pai informed them.

"And the people on our planet can handle any that got stranded there." Tart added confidently. Suddenly his ears tweaked. _What was that?_

Pudding caught a whiff of something too. Something…familiar?

Brown eyes widened in recognition. "Heicha!"

Both monkey Mew and pigtailed Cyniclon spun around to see the little blonde creep out from behind a partly charred potted plant. She waved to them shyly with a finger in her mouth. "Hi 'Nee-chan, Taru-Taru onii-chan, na no da."

Pudding was about to launch into a motherly lecture when her sister noticed the large diagonal cut along her side.

"AAH!" she gasped and immediately rushed over. "Pudding onee-chan, you got hurt, na no da!"

"Heh, that's cause she wasn't paying attention to the fight." Taruto remarked.

The little girl's features instantly distorted in a grumpy-like anger. "Onee-chan! That's bad! You know better than to let your guard down, na no da! What if something happened to you?!"

Everyone laughed while Pudding blushed and grinned sheepishly as Heicha went into a rant about how irresponsible it would've been for her to get killed in battle and leave herself and all her brothers alone and poor, wandering the streets. The girl had a flare for the dramatic, just like her big sister.

* * *

And so the allies returned to the café on a light note. Ryou congratulated them on their success while Keiichiro greeted them with a first aid kit and tray of freshly made tea. 

Five minutes later they were gathered in the café's dining area. Lettuce blushed bright red while Pai gingerly wrapped her injured leg in bandages. It seemed no one had escaped the battle unscathed. Pudding giggled and struggled against Taruto while he protested against her wiping his face clean by licking the tip of her finger.

"Yuck! Get a rag, Monkey Girl!"

"But this works much better, Taru-Taru! Just hold still, na no da!"

"No way! Get off me!"

"Almost got it!"

"GAAAAHHH!!!"

Heicha giggled at their silly antics. Taruto put up as much a fuss over cleaning off smudges as her brothers did after an afternoon of wrestling in the dirt. Sensing a presence beside her she turned just in time to see Piper teleport over. "Piper-chan!"

The blond smirked deviously when Pudding swiped her finger across Tart's cheek. "Awww…aren't they cute together?"

Heicha laughed and pointed toward a table in the back of the room. "And speaking of cute, Minto onee-chan looks pretty cute with Kisshu onii-chan, na no da."

Piper puffed out his cheeks and frowned. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Kisshu float over and start teasing his guardian. Normally he would've been over there in a heartbeat to yell and attempt to drive the persistent flirt away. But…

_He did seem pretty worried about Mama Bird when we were back on that ship. Maybe_, he sighed, _maybe he really does care about her?_

"He could've died, no da." a soft spoken voice reminded him. Turning his attention back to Heicha he saw she was watching him with those big brown eyes that shone with understanding. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she innocently rocked forward.

"You all could've been gone for good when you went through that portal, no da. But, you went, and he went too. So—maybe that proves that he really _**does**_ like her, na no da?"

The blond stayed silent. Was she a mind reader?

She just smiled sweetly and tilted her head. "Heicha was really worried too, no da. Because…she almost lost her friend."

Tangerine eyes softened and he suddenly felt very guilty for rushing off like that. "Heicha."

Unsure of what else to do he acted on impulse and wrapped his arms around the girl who stood there trying so hard not to drop her cheerful façade. "Don't worry," he told her, "everything's okay now. And you and me—we're gonna be friends forever."

"Really?" she asked him excitedly after breaking the hug.

"Heh, really." he promised. And this time his grin held nothing but happiness.

Across the room things were not so sweet and cutesy.

"I said stop hovering over my shoulder Kisshu!" the bird Mew snapped. "It's very annoying!"

She went to swat him away but flinched at a sudden stabbing pain in her arm. Glancing down she saw that one of the Crisect pinchers had managed to knick her forearm. The sight of another injury marring her otherwise flawless skin made her growl. Ballerinas were NOT supposed to look like they'd just run an obstacle course!

"Aw, does my little birdie have a boo-boo?" Kisshu crooned.

Minto started to slug him but he caught her arm in mid-swing and—surprisingly—lowered his lips to the scrape. Everyone watched in stunned silence as he kissed it softly then gently covered it with a band-aid. By the time he was finished Minto was blushing an even brighter red than Lettuce. Though out of embarrassment or something more no one could tell. But Kisshu's smirk spoke volumes as he floated beside her chair and beamed with pride at her reaction.

_Heh, she definitely likes me. Nothing can spoil this now._

…or so he thought.

"Minto! Lettuce! Pudding!"

Everyone turned to the wide open double doors where Ichigo, Berry, Masaya, Tasuku, and Zakuro stood against a blindingly sunny background. The aliens froze while their old foes and the two newcomers gasped. Apparently they hadn't been informed of their return.

"I-Ichigo-san!" Lettuce exclaimed.

"Oh that's right," Pudding's murmur caught Minto's attention, "they were supposed to get back here today, na no da."

"W-What?!" the blue Mew sputtered. Brown eyes shot from Lettuce to Pudding who each gave her a sheepish shrug and guilty smile. "Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

Ichigo's mouth drew back into a tight line. Fuming she marched over to Minto and jabbed a finger in her face. "Why didn't _you_ tell ME?" she asked accusingly. "I've talked to you several times since we left for America and you never once mentioned anything about aliens or needing reinforcements!"

Suddenly Minto went on the defensive. "That's because we already had some!" she gestured toward Pai and Tart and then the third Cyniclon who stood silently behind her. "And we had everything under control!"

"Under control?!" Ichigo's hand itched to slap the girl as Minto had smacked her and others so many times before for being foolish. "The whole WORLD was at stake and you never even told me! I trusted you to look after everyone and keep me informed! I thought we were teammates Minto! I thought we were—friends."

Minto's anger melted away when she saw the hurt reflected back at her in Ichigo's eyes. The lorikeet girl hung her head and let her bangs hide her shamed expression. Now it didn't seem like such a good idea to have kept all that from Ichigo. Their leader had trusted her, _**her **_to be the one in charge during her absence. And now she felt like a traitor to that trust.

_I've really messed up._

"Um…Ichigo-san?" Lettuce was about to speak up on Minto's behalf when the cat Mew turned on her heal and headed back out the door.

For a second it looked like Zakuro might not move out of her way. But at the last moment she stepped slightly to the side and let the distraught teen pass by. Sharp blue eyes stared after her, as if she understood the situation much clearer than either of the two.

"Ichigo!" Masaya ran after her leaving the dining area in an uncomfortable silence.

After all that…no one knew what to say.

_She barely even noticed me._ Kisshu noted sadly in his mind. _Ichigo…_

"S-So um…" Berry clenched a hand under her chin and attempted to end the awkwardness, "you're the aliens I've heard so much about?"

"The ones who created the Chimera Animas." Tasuku stated distrustfully and tightened his hold on her. His protectiveness of Berry told him to be wary of those three.

Sensing their welcome had just worn out Pai sat down his teacup and answered bluntly. "Yes, and it's time we left."

Lettuce switched her focus from Minto to the lavender haired Cyniclon. Suddenly her stomach churned with nervousness. "Pai-san, you're not going back to your planet already are you?"

He had to smile at the beseeching way she stared at him. "Not yet," he assured her, "we still have much to discuss and our own injuries to treat."

"You're welcome to use our first aid materials." Keiichiro offered. "I know it's probably a bit more primitive than what you're used to but it's effective nonetheless."

"No," Pai shook his head and added, "thank you," as an afterthought. "We have our own means of healing back on the ship. Our rejuvenation tank will speed up our bodies' healing processes much faster than antibiotics."

Keiichiro nodded in understanding. At least Pai wasn't _trying_ to sound superior.

The three aliens took their leave, though Kisshu lagged behind a few seconds. His eyes never left the doorway where Ichigo had run out. Inside he felt a mixture of hurt, concern, and nostalgia. _She doesn't love me._ he repeatedly told himself. _She never will._

But why? Why did it still have to hurt—so much?

"Ichigo…"

The word was whispered so softly that it would've been easy enough for anyone to miss. But Minto caught it, though she chose to show no sign that she had.

She knew without looking that he was staring after Ichigo, with that same longing gaze that he always wore after getting rejected. And in spite of everything she'd begun to let herself believe about the green haired Cyniclon and the bond they'd been forming, she realized that the cold hard truth of the matter was…

_Nothing's changed._

Ryou watched Kisshu teleport away and saw that it was only then that she let the tears stream down her cheeks. He continued to watch her sympathetically. He knew from experience, it was hard to see the person you cared about pining after someone else.

At the doorway Berry and Tasuku let out a sigh of relief. Now that the creepy aliens were gone they could relax and unwind after spending over half their summer break fighting Chimera Animas and then racing back to stop a space monster invasion.

"We really should study abroad next year." the hybrid Mew told her boyfriend.

"It'd be a nice vacation from all this weirdness." Tasuku smiled in agreement.

Zakuro waited until the lovebirds were gone before turning back to the others. She stood with her arms folded and one leg crossed over her other boot. "So," she nodded toward the unfamiliar blond sitting at one of the smaller tables with Heicha, "who's the kid?"

Lettuce looked over to Minto but found the bird Mew was in no mood to give an explanation. With a drawn out sigh she met Zakuro's expectant gaze and gave her the whole story.

* * *

The next day relations between Minto and Ichigo hadn't improved much. In fact, they hadn't spoken to each other at all. Their lack of communication and negative emotions drove a wedge into the team. So the others all agreed it was time to do something to fix the situation. 

With the defeat of the Crisects and all the Chimera Animas taken care of overseas the café had reopened its doors to the public. They now had a dining room full of chattering customers all looking to have their sweet tooth satisfied by one of the chef's famous pastries. Berry and Tasuku were off making deliveries when Ryou gathered the girls together in the kitchen (save for Ichigo and Minto) and told them it was time to set their plan into action.

"Pudding, go to Minto, as _discreetly_ as you can, and tell her I want to see everyone down in the basement right away."

"Okay Onii-chan, na no da!" the monkey Mew saluted and skipped off with an empty tray and order pad.

"Lettuce, I want you to go get Ichigo and tell her the same thing. Got it?"

"Y-Yes," the green haired waitress gave a nervous bow and hastened back out the kitchen doors.

That left Zakuro and Ryou standing alone in the kitchen while Keiichiro worked the floor, offering the customers samples of the daily special and pouring on the charm.

The purple Mew turned to him with a skeptical look. "Do you really think this will work?"

"Who knows?" he shrugged. "But we've got to do something. We can't afford to have the team fall apart because of a few misconceptions and ill-kept secrets."

"Very well," Zakuro turned and placed a hand on the door, "you are the leader of this project and I know you have our best interests at heart. So I will trust your decision."

"Thanks."

* * *

Two minutes later Ichigo hustled down the stairs and through the basement door. She skidded to a stop when she saw that the only other person there was- 

"Minto?!"

The ebony haired girl looked over from where she'd been leaning against one of the counters. When she caught sight of Ichigo she instantly jerked her head in the opposite direction.

"What's going on?" the cat Mew demanded.

"How should I know?" came the flippant reply.

An awkward silence followed and lasted up until Ryou walked in and stood before them. He assumed his usual posture, hands behind him, back straight, and blue eyes staring straight ahead in a no-nonsense fashion.

"Shirogane!" Ichigo started in on him immediately. "What's the big idea, huh? Where's everyone else? I thought this was supposed to be a **team** meeting!"

The blond cleared his throat and waited until he had their full attention. "This," he informed them, "is an intervention."

"Huh??"

Both girls stared at him with puzzled expressions.

"Intervention??"

"Yes." he nodded, his tone dead serious. "The two of you are teammates and friends. And if the Tokyo Mew Mew are to continue to work together as one then we can't have any rifts between its members."

The girls watched as he started walking back out of the room, explaining as he went. "Whatever your differences are it's best that you settle them now and clear the air."

"So," he smirked mischievously with one foot out the door, "I'm locking you down here until you make up."

Ichigo and Minto started to object and rush out but he slammed the door in their faces.

"It's locked!" the redhead exclaimed as she tugged on the handle.

"Well that's just great!" Minto huffed sarcastically.

They began to argue, totally unaware of how their heated emotions caused their energy levels to increase.

"Well you shouldn't have kept it a secret from me!" Ichigo shouted. She was so furious she didn't even notice that her aura now glowed a visible pink.

Across from her Minto emitted a blue glow of her own. "I told you we could handle it and we did! It was _**your**_ job to defeat the Chimera Animas!"

All around them computer monitors began to crack and sparks shot out from the machinery. The power they gave off was just too much for the equipment to handle.

Upstairs the other girls went about their business, waiting on customers and clearing off the empty tables.

"I wonder how things are going between Ichigo-san and Minto-san." Lettuce took a moment to stop and wipe her brow. They certainly had been busy today.

She was slightly startled when Ryou appeared behind her. "Hopefully they're almost done resolving their differences. We could use the extra help."

The girls giggled. He looked so uncomfortable in that apron.

"Aoyama onii-chan should be back from his family outing soon, na no da." Pudding announced happily. "Then you can both assist Pudding in her lunch time performance!"

Ryou looked anything but thrilled about the idea. Between Pudding and Lettuce he could easily go into debt replacing broken dishes.

Suddenly an alarm sounded. A chorus of startled gasps and panicked screams rose up around them as the customers tried to figure out what was going on.

"Everyone!" Keiichiro rushed into the center of the madness and held up his arms. "We apologize for the inconvenience but we have a small fire in our kitchen. For your safety we ask that you all file out in an orderly manner while we get the situation under control."

The brunet had a good cover story for almost any situation and his take-charge attitude served to calm the customers down enough so that everyone cleared out without a lot of fuss.

"Let's go," Zakuro jerked her head in the direction of the basement.

Lettuce and Pudding were the first to head out; even up at the top of the stairway they could hear their two friends bickering inside the lab.

"What did you do NOW?!" Minto demanded.

"I didn't do anything!" Ichigo declared. "Whatever just happened had to be YOUR fault!"

"Don't try to pin your mistakes on me!" the bird Mew snapped. "I'm sick of covering for you!"

Ichigo's face reddened. "And what's **that** supposed to mean?!"

"Hmph, exactly what I said." Minto stuck up her nose and turned her back toward the cat Mew.

"Ooooh…" Ichigo seethed. "Minto! You're such a mean SNOB!"

The insult succeeded in ruffling the lorikeet girl's feathers. She whirled around and yelled indignantly. "SNOB?! Who are you calling a 'snob' you…you…VULGAR COMMONER!"

"SNOB!"

"COMMONER!"

"SNOB!"

"COMMONER!"

They were so busy fighting that they didn't hear Lettuce and the others outside banging on the door. Then, they were interrupted by a loud explosion.

_**BOOM!**_

When Ryou finally managed to shove his way to the front and unlock the door the others behind him were hit with a blast from the malfunctioning equipment. Lettuce and Pudding were standing the closest to the doorway and wound up with their bandages torn off by flying pieces of metal machinery and shards of broken glass. Ryou had been pinned behind the door when it was nearly torn off its hinges.

While Zakuro helped the two injured Mews back to their feet he pushed the door away and rushed inside. There he found Ichigo bent over Minto with her features deeply etched in worry.

"Minto? MINTO?!"

The pink Mew shook her friend's shoulders and repeatedly called out but received no response. Minto lay with her back flat on the floor. Her waitress uniform was smudged and torn from the blast (as was Ichigo's) and the buns in her hair had come loose.

Ryou ran over and dropped down beside them. He quickly checked her over and smiled in relief to find that she was merely knocked out. "It's okay," he told the distressed redhead, "she'll be fine."

Minto came to and saw Ichigo smiling down at her. The cat Mew laughed and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Suddenly our argument seems so petty. Right Mint?"

The blue Mew returned her friend's smile and agreed. Ryou grinned and watched them hug. "I'm glad you're friends again."

They both smiled back at him.

"Um…Shirogane?" Ichigo began in a soft, timid voice. "Thank you for forcing Minto and I to work out our differences."

Ryou was about to comment but she cut him off.

"But-"

Both Mews shot him menacing grins.

"-if you EVER try something like that again-" the bird Mew added.

"-we'll kick your butt!" Ichigo finished.

Ryou sweat dropped and promised no more isolation tactics. _I'll never get used to these girls and their mood swings._

* * *

A few days later… 

The girls returned to work, dreading the end of summer 'vacation', and happy to have things back to normal with everyone on good terms again. They hadn't heard anything else from the Cyniclons, though Ryou and Keiichiro assured them that their spaceship still hovered just outside of Earth's atmosphere. What was taking them so long to check back in with them was anybody's guess.

Meanwhile Piper and Heicha had become regular fixtures at the café. Ryou had even muttered something about the place turning into a daycare center with all the kids around. However, he remained lenient about it for the sake of his employees. Minto still couldn't think of a way to explain Piper's presence to her Nana or parents (not that she saw them that often) and Pudding enjoyed how happy it made her little sister to spend the summer playing with her new friend. The Cyniclon really had a way of making the bashful girl come out of her shell—even if they were usually arguing over the placement of dominoes or rules to a game. Ryou had even taken extra measures (at Minto's insistence) to get Piper enrolled in elementary school. Heicha had been thrilled at the news that she and Piper would be classmates.

After checking into the problem Keiichiro announced that the explosion had been caused by an extension of Ichigo and Minto's powers which overloaded the systems. Thankfully, though a lot of the equipment had been damaged (and much of it needed to be replaced), no crucial information had been lost. What wasn't contained in the back-up files had already been committed to memory. Masha had been found under some debris in the far corner where he'd been keeping an eye on the two as they argued but his damages were easily repaired. All-in-all it wasn't such a major inconvenience, especially when you considered the amount of damage the Cyniclons had done the first time they'd raided the building.

Now, inside the café, a solitary figure sat sipping tea at a table in the corner. It was after closing time and the other girls had all gone home for the day. Zakuro preferred to linger behind and enjoy a quiet moment to herself. It wasn't often that she got to indulge in such liberties. Her busy schedule kept her rushing to photo shoots, script rehearsals, and autograph signings when she wasn't working as a waitress with the other Mews or off saving the world.

Her quiet relaxation was short-lived however when she felt a sudden tug on her sleeve. "Hm?"

Looking down she saw a pair of orange eyes gazing up at her questioningly. _It's that alien kid Minto's taken in—Piper. What's he still doing here?_

"Yes?"

"Are you Zakuro-san? Mama Bir—err, I mean—Minto's 'onee-sama'?" he asked straight out and jabbed a finger up at her.

Zakuro sighed and propped her cheek against her hand. "Yes, that is what she likes to call me."

"Then you must know more about her than anyone else." he guessed.

The wolf Mew arched an eyebrow at the bold little Cyniclon. "You assume I'm the top authority on Minto?"

"That's right," he nodded eagerly, "and I have a favor to ask you."

"A favor?" curiosity quickly won over, "Alright, what's this favor you want?"

Clasping his hands behind his back Piper lowered his head in embarrassment. "I um..."

Zakuro watched him fidget a minute, dragging his foot along the tile floor in front of him before prompting him to speak. "Well? Go on."

"...um..."

"What is it??"

"Would you examine the gift I've made for Mama Bird and tell me what you think?!" he blurted out, squeezing his downcast eyes shut in fear of rejection or humiliation.

A look of surprise crossed her features before she caught herself and resumed her act of indifference. "Is that all then? You want me to inspect your gift to Minto and give you my opinion?"

"Mm-hmm," he nodded quickly, "I want to make sure it's something that she'll like."

"And what made you decide to give her a present in the first place?" again, curiosity.

"Be-Because," he swallowed and opened his eyes, "she's given me so much already. I-I just want to do something nice to pay her back. So I thought I'd make a present, but she's got so much already, I wasn't sure if she'd like what I've made. P-Plus she's been kinda down lately. Maybe it'll help cheer her up?"

_This kid's too cute._ Zakuro mused while staring down at the nervous little blond. "Alright then," she declared, mind made up, "I'll do this for you."

He smiled in relief.

"If-"

His smile instantly fell.

"-you do something for me first."

"Like what?" he asked timidly. Zakuro could be pretty scary when she wanted to be, especially with such a dead serious expression.

"I want to know more about you. What your life was like before you came here." she stated frankly. "I know how you arrived by accident and Minto's informed me of how you came to stay with her at her home. But in spite of all that, I know nothing of you personally."

Poor little Piper was sweating bullets now. "W-Why would you want to know all that about me?"

"Because you are part of the team now." she replied, "And I believe in knowing my teammates. Your origins are still very much a mystery to me."

_Like she's got any room to talk about mystique._ He thought defensively. Still, he wanted an opinion on his gift to Minto, and Zakuro's was the top one in that category. At least that was the common consensus anyway. "Fine." he agreed. "It's a deal."

The azure eyed woman afforded him a small smile as they shook hands on it. Piper flopped down on the floor with his legs curved flat in a circle while Zakuro sat her teacup down and turned round in her chair to give him her full attention as he began his tale.

"My mom and I lived in one of the underground shelters back before the others arrived with the Mew Aqua and fixed the climate. The shelters were basically these big communities of steel and stone where a lot of us stayed crammed in primitive houses with little food or water to keep us alive. Times were tough and what little resources we had kept stretching thinner and thinner." he made hand gestures to emphasize his points. "Soon we knew there'd be nothing left for us to live on. A lot of people wound up going without. Mom...Mom was always making sacrifices for me."

Zakuro's eyes softened as the little Cyniclon went on.

"She always insisted on using whatever cloth we managed to gather to make me new clothes or blankets. And when the rations got low she often gave me hers too, saying she just wasn't hungry. But...but I could tell it was a lie. She was getting really thin. Her bones started to show and her cheeks looked sunk in. But she still insisted that everything was fine. She even gave me this-" he held out his ocarina for her to examine, "-it was something Dad made for me. He died a little while after I was born. He'd been hurt really bad while working on expanding the shelter. So when I was four, Mom gave me this, and told me about what a great guy he'd been. How much he loved us and wouldn't have wanted us to lose hope."

"Hope is very important," Zakuro nodded. "Without hope, we are all surely lost."

Piper's head remained hung low. It was obvious he was having a difficult time retelling his story. Though serious, Zakuro had made her comment to give him a moment to recover his composure.

"I learned to play it on my own," he murmured, turning the polished wooden object over in his hands like a precious gem. "Mom was so happy. She was always smiling at me, but she seemed to smile brighter whenever I'd play. It was like the melody was sweeping away our worries. We both agreed that Dad couldn't have left us a better gift behind. But..." orange eyes began to swell with tears as he choked back a sob, "B-But then..."

The lavender haired woman reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her small attempt at comfort appeared to have the right effect. After another moment's pause Piper managed to suppress his sniffles and press on.

"All the stress of raising me on her own, making all those sacrifices so I wouldn't have to go without—it finally caught up to her." there was a hint of self-loathing in his voice that shot a somber pain through her chest. "Mom got so weak, but she just kept going, 'til she finally pushed herself too hard. I tried to get her to relax, to let me handle things. But she said it was her responsibility, _I_ was her responsibility. And she wouldn't stop working and giving up way too much food. So when she died..."

"...you were left all alone." the wolf Mew finished and he confirmed it with a nod.

Tears ran freely down his face, pooling between his legs as he sat sprawled out on the floor. It was a pitiful sight that could wrench any heart. And Zakuro had always had a soft spot for children. Just ask Kisshu.

"Was there nowhere else you could go? No one you could turn to for help?"

"No," came the small voice, "everyone was too busy with their own families, their own problems. We were all struggling to survive. So I stayed underfoot and overlooked like a lot of the orphaned kids."

"Then, how did you survive?"

"By fending for myself." her eyes widened at his response. "It was hard, but I managed to scavenge enough to survive until the others arrived with the Mew Aqua."

"And when conditions improved, what did you do then?"

"I kept to what I knew best. Looking out for myself and leaving everyone else to their own business. There was a lot of renovation going on, once we could safely live above ground and grow our crops in fertile fields." From the way he talked it was obvious that he was just repeating a lot of what he'd overheard the adults say.

The frown deepened on her face, "You weren't lonely on your own?"

"Eh," he shrugged and glared at the ground, "no one wanted me when I lost my mom. Why should I go running to them just because Mew Aqua made things more convenient for everybody? It was too late to care."

Shaking her head Zakuro realized she could sympathize with the child. It must have been terrible for him. To go on for so long watching his mother struggle and endure many hardships on his behalf, and then suddenly he'd found himself alone without a friend in the world. "You never had any friends then?"

"No," Piper pulled his feet in closer in a show of self-protection, the matter was becoming harder to discuss. He didn't want to be pitied, or reminded of how alone he'd felt back then. "Like I said, I was looking out for myself. I didn't have time to make friends. And no one had time for me."

"How sad," the words left her mouth without her realizing she'd spoken aloud.

Piper lifted his eyes to find her watching him remorsefully. For once even the stoic wolf Mew looked ready to cry.

"It's okay," he offered her a meek smile, "things are better now. Since I've stumbled into your world and come to live with Mama Bird I'm happy again. She—wants me around."

"And loves you very much." Zakuro smiled sincerely. "And you love her too. I can tell."

The little Cyniclon just blushed, grabbed hold of his ankles and began to rock back and forth.

After a while he tried to put his feelings to words. "She's...she's a lot like my mom was. And she's a lot different too. But I like it that way. How they're alike but not quite the same. Now I feel like I have two moms, instead of replacing one."

"So you can be her 'Baby Bird' without feeling any guilt," the Mew beamed understandingly. It was a lot like the situation with Pudding and the kindergarten teacher. And as far as Zakuro could see, the bond was compassionate and strong.

"Right!" Piper perked up, glad to have that off his chest. "Now it's your turn to ante up!"

Zakuro looked taken aback for a moment before realizing what he meant. She'd promised to look at his present to Minto and give him her honest opinion of how well she'd like it. "Alright, let's have a look."

Reaching into his inner shirt pocket he pulled out a few rolled up sheets of paper and presented them to her. "This is the song I wrote for Mama Bird. Heicha helped me with the lyrics, heh. I'm better at the music part. Mom always used to come up with the words."

She accepted the sheet music gingerly and skimmed over the melody and lyrics scribbled under each row of notes. A few minutes later she was smiling warmly at the gift. "I think," she replied, returning the papers to an anxious looking Cyniclon, "she will like this very much."

"Really?!" all the tension melted from his face as he broke into his brightest grin yet.

"I know so." she chuckled, "Minto will cherish this song forever. It's the perfect gift for the girl who has everything."

"Phew," still grinning broadly he wiped the back of his hand across his forehead and rolled back off his haunches, "that's a relief! I would've had to tell Heicha we needed to start over again. Thanks Zakuro-san!"

In the blink of an eye he'd jumped to his feet, threw his arms around her neck in a grateful hug, and spun around on his heel, disappearing through the door. Zakuro waved after him, smiling more than she normally allowed herself to. _Sweet kid. Hard to believe someone that kind's led such a troubled life. Still, it looks like he and Minto are exactly what the other needs._

* * *

_To be continued…_


	8. What's the Matter with Mew?

**A/N**: The last chapter got some interesting reviews. Honestly I think anyone's best bet when writing fanfiction is to stay true to the characters, experimenting is fine just don't go overboard, and um…type/write when the inspiration strikes. I can't tell you how many post-it notes and typed-up ideas it took me just to get this story off the ground. Hope that helps the reviewer who asked.

Couple of things you'll need to remember when you read this and the next chapter: in Pudding's first anime appearance she blocked an attack from Kisshu by unwittingly causing a stone slab to spring up out of the ground, before Lettuce joined the Mews she frightened people at her school by manipulating water from the pool and could even use it to attack, and finally (in episode 43) Minto managed to fly alongside a twister to retrieve the Mew Aqua from a swan when Pai and Taruto tried to steal it by killing the birds first. Why's this important? Well keep reading and it'll become clear. I just wanted you to know I'm still basing this stuff off actual events in the series. Oh and that song Piper wrote will be mentioned again later. Enjoy the super long chapter!

**Destinies Intertwined**

Chapter Eight: What's the Matter with Mew?

Minto landed and found herself walking through a thick forest alone in what she assumed was the middle of the night. She had only the blackened sky to go by and the weird fact that everything else around her was illuminated by a pure white light. From what she could tell the glow seemed to be coming from within. Everything was bright and strangely supernatural. The grass, the trees, the rocks…everything!

_This…this is too weird. _she thought as she wondered on deeper into the surreal forest.

Lettuce found herself in the same predicament. She had started out following a winding stream through the woods. Why? She couldn't recall. But stranger still was the sudden sense of déjà vu, as if she'd been there before, in that exact spot, same situation and just as clueless. Then it occurred to her. She _had_ been there before, several times in fact, and it had happened very recently too. It was somewhat of a nightly routine with her, like brushing her teeth or changing into a pair of pajamas before bed.

_So then_, she pondered, _this is a dream? But…it seems so real._

Pudding was swinging merrily through the trees. Effortlessly she reached out and grabbed another vine as she went. The monkey girl howled triumphantly as she whipped through the brilliant white branches without a single care as to where she was or how she got there.

_This is so much fun, na no da!_

Eventually all three figured out that they were dreaming, though for some reason they were unable to awaken. After what felt like a small eternity of wondering about they came upon a clearing in the woods' center and were surprised to find themselves staring across at one another.

"Minto onee-chan! Lettuce onee-chan!" Pudding called gleefully. "You're having the same dream too, na no da?"

"Wait," the bird Mew put a hand to her temple and shook her head, "you're _in_ my dream and you're dreaming about this too?"

"That's unusual." Lettuce remarked innocently.

"It's impossible." Minto grumbled.

Pudding ran in circles around them. She remained her normal, hyper self despite the odd coincidence of sharing such an unusual dream with two other people. To her it was all harmless fun.

Lettuce walked over to one of the illuminated trees and caressed a leaf gently between her fingertips. "This is so strange. I wonder why everything around us is glowing?"

"It's like the whole forest has a life force, na no da!" Pudding shouted between cartwheels.

"You mean an aura?" Minto guessed.

"That might make sense." Lettuce said hesitantly. "Every living thing is supposed to have one."

"Even that rock?" the lorikeet girl remarked in a deadpan voice while jerking a thumb over her shoulder.

"Well," her friend sweat dropped, "rocks aren't exactly alive so I don't see how the glow could be explained as its-"

Pudding stopped leaping about and ran over to the rock. Placing a hand atop it she smiled knowingly and turned to the other girls. "The rock is alive, na no da."

Her friends stared back at her with dumbstruck expressions. Quite honestly they looked embarrassed beyond words by Pudding's naivety.

"P-Pudding-san," Lettuce tried to humor her, "what makes you say that?"

The monkey Mew jumped up on the rock and struck a confident pose. "The rock's part of the planet, right, na no da?"

Lettuce's eyebrow twitched. "I-I guess so."

"So what?" Minto asked bluntly.

"So…" Pudding wagged her index finger back and forth, "the planet's alive. It's covered with trees, and water, and plants, and people, and all kinds of animals, na no da! And if conditions aren't just right the climate will change or the water could dry up and then everything would die, no da."

"Is there a point to this?" the blue Mew asked impatiently.

"The point is," Pudding crossed her arms in a self-assured way, "that since none of that's happened yet the planet's still alive. And that means everything on it is too! Even the rocks, na no da!"

Minto stared at her like she'd lost her mind but Lettuce looked thoughtful.

"But Pudding-san, planet Earth isn't technically alive."

"Is too," the monkey Mew insisted. "It moves, it grows things, and it supports life, na no da. If it was dead it'd be just a big ball of dirt like the moon or Mars, na no da."

Minto turned to glare accusingly at Lettuce. "This is all your fault for introducing her to the Science Channel."

"S-Sorry," the porpoise girl smiled nervously.

"Whatever. The problem now is finding out how we all got into the same dream and how we're supposed to get back out."

"Maybe we're trapped!" Pudding suggested happily. "It's happened before, na no da."

"You're way too cheerful about this." Minto frowned.

"Maybe we'll just wakeup on our own?" Lettuce shrugged. "I don't remember any battle so it's unlikely we were attacked by another dream creature."

Their conversation was cut short when the ground started rumbling beneath their feet.

"Wee!" Pudding cried elatedly with both hands pressed to the ground. "This dream is great! Look what Pudding can do, na no da!"

"Pudding!" Minto shouted, "Even asleep you're so immature!"

Lettuce had swirls in her eyes as nausea set in. "Pudding-san, please stop shaking the ground!"

All around them the wind picked up as Minto's patience wore thin. "Pudding! You cut that out THIS INSTANT! Do you hear me?!"

"Weeee!" the blonde continued obliviously. The loud rumbling noises had drowned out their protests. "Pudding is super powerful, na no da!"

"Pudding!" Minto growled.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Lettuce groaned.

"PUDDING!"

That got through, "What is it, na no da?!"

"I said-"

"Speak up, na no da! Pudding can't hear you over the wind!"

Minto gritted her teeth, "I SAID-"

"Said what, na no da?!"

"Oooohhh…" Lettuce clutched her stomach woozily while the stream splashed behind her.

"-**STOP!!!**"

Minto shot up in bed panting. With the dream still fresh in her mind she looked around to find herself safe and sound in her room with Piper sleeping peacefully beside her. Propping her head in her hands she tried to calm down and order her thoughts.

_That dream again._ she winced at the memory of its latest twist. _More like a nightmare. What was Pudding thinking?! And why was she there in the first place? And Lettuce too?_

She decided to ask them about it at work. If the three really had been having the same dream, a dream they could even interact in, there had to be something more to it than mere coincidence. She hadn't been this shaken up since her dream of forced flight. That alone had been enough to scare her into quitting. Thankfully Zakuro had managed to change her mind.

The sound of soft breathing caused her to glance down at the little boy sleeping soundly on her right. Minto felt herself grow calmer as she watched him silently, and finally a gentle smile spread across her features in the dark. No dream was going to scare her away from her duties this time. No matter what she had to protect the Earth—and all the people she loved who lived there.

* * *

Up in the Cyniclons' spaceship the three travelers pondered their next move. Should they return home now that their objective was over? Or would it be better to stay and gather more data about the planet and its resources while they were there? For almost two years now there had been talk on their planet about sending a reconnaissance group to Earth for environmental research purposes. Conditions on their world had improved greatly with the help of the Mew Aqua and many of their scientists believed it would be useful to learn more about the various types of plant and animal life on the Earth. It may help them make their own species thrive again. 

Pai explained this to his undecided comrades and expressed a bit of interest in volunteering himself. Of course it didn't take long for him to regret it…

"Oooh, so you finally admit it, ay Pai?" Kisshu chided.

"What are you talking about?" he remarked stiffly.

Kisshu elbowed a snickering Tart and winked. "Your little crush on that fish girl, _duh_."

Pai's cheeks were actually tinged a pale pink. "Hmph, my affairs are none of your business Kish. Do you think you could manage to stay on subject for once? And she's infused with _porpoise_ DNA, not fish…you twit."

"Sure Pai," Kisshu shrugged, "whatever you say."

Taruto snickered louder when Pai sneered at the cocky green haired alien. And he swore he heard his eldest friend growl.

"Besides-"

Kisshu floated down and draped an arm around the pigtailed Cyniclon causing his laughter to come to an abrupt halt.

"-it's _much_ more fun to tease Tart here about his little monkey Mew sweetie. Right Tart? Ahahahaha!!"

Taruto's growl was audible throughout the entire pocket dimension. But rather than get angry, or start pouting like the others expected, his scowl became a mischievous smirk.

"Look who's talking," he countered, "you spent all that time moping around after we left because that old hag didn't choose you over the Blue Knight, and now that we're back the first thing you do is go and fall for that other Mew!"

"W-What?!"

Pai smirked as well at Kisshu's flustered expression.

"That's right," Taruto continued impishly, "you've got a thing for the bird lady!"

Kisshu's face went beet red. "Why you…!" he lunged for the kid but Tart moved swiftly out of the way.

Sticking his thumb on his nose he wiggled his fingers tauntingly and blew him a raspberry. "Nyaaaah!"

Tired of their immaturity Pai interrupted in his firmest tone. "Enough! We still have other matters to discuss before we decide on our next course of action."

Taruto and Kisshu stopped and cast their gaze toward the stoic alien. They didn't say it but the word "what" was written all over their faces.

"Upon arriving we discovered a certain unforeseen dilemma." he reminded them. "Somehow a child from our planet was able to cross through a Crisect portal and arrive on the Earth. Fortunately he was intercepted by the Mew Mews before the enemy could harm him. Unfortunately," he paused for effect and to make sure he had their full attention, "we must now decide whether or not to take him back."

Kisshu winced, the way Pai said it made the whole thing sound so final. He really didn't want to tell Minto that she couldn't keep her 'baby bird'. It would break her heart. And contrary to what his previous actions before their alliance might've led them to believe, he wasn't such a cruel hearted guy. A little impulsive and harsh in battle, sure, but not heartless.

"Are you sure we should do that, Pai?"

The elder Cyniclon looked at him curiously. "You think we should leave him here to be raised by a Mew? To grow up among humans?"

"Why not?" Tart shrugged from his position floating with his arms folded behind his head. "He seems pretty happy. We should probably just leave everything like it is."

"But who would teach him of his heritage?" Pai inquired. "Who would keep him from forgetting who and what he truly is? A Cyniclon."

"Correct me if I'm wrong here," Kisshu spoke matter-of-factly, "but the kid's an orphan, right? So it's not like he had anyone around to do that stuff in the first place."

Pai was silent for a moment. "Still, the boy needs to be among his own kind. No one here would be able to train him, teach him how to control and properly harness his abilities. And let's not forget, he's still an alien among humans. And their race is known to fear that which they don't understand."

"You've read too many human books Pai." Kisshu waved him off lightly. "Humans aren't as bad as all that. You remember how it was right before Deep Blue got defeated."

"Yeah Pai, and you even helped save those humans at the station." Tart pointed out.

"That was different," the lavender haired scientist stated bluntly. "They were in the way. It was necessary to clear them out. And with the alliance in place it would've been unwise to harm them."

"Oh give it a rest Pai," Kisshu yawned and swatted at him in aggravation. "You saved those humans because you wanted to. And because it made you look good and heroic in front of that green little mermaid of yours."

Pai gnashed his teeth. He may have liked books but he hated it when people could read _him_ like one!

"Yeah Pai," Taruto smiled encouragingly, "and you even said that humans were wonderful creatures. Back at the last battle we fought against the Mews. Remember?"

The elder Cyniclon coughed and spluttered. "I remember no such thing."

"Whatever," Kisshu rolled his eyes. "the point is, if an orphaned kid from our race was gonna be raised by another species, humanity isn't such a bad choice."

"Hmph." Pai crossed his arms, clearly not convinced.

"And-" Kisshu smirked; he knew just what to say to sway Pai's opinion, "he'd probably learn a lot from the experience."

That seemed to work, somewhat. At least Pai didn't seem totally against it anymore.

"Very well," he consented, "we will consider the possibility. But that doesn't make it indefinite. I have some experiments to complete on the remains of the Crisects we destroyed at the station. The results should tell us exactly what they were after and hopefully aid us in strengthening our defenses and preventing future attacks from similar races. After that, we'll return to Earth and observe the Mew Mews for a while longer. Then we'll make our final decision concerning the boy."

"Okay!" Taruto's mood brightened. He'd been anxious to go visit Pudding again. He was curious on how well her siblings were doing with the garden and heck, he even missed the little midgets.

"Sure," Kisshu smiled placidly. "According to the latest transmission we got from home everything's running smoothly now. So we've got some extra 'vacation time' if we want it. There's no hurry to rush back."

* * *

Back at Café Mew Mew the girls were all busy cleaning up the shop while Berry, Tasuku, and Masaya got to enjoy a day off. Business had been a little slow that day so they decided to close up early. It also happened to be payday. 

"Hooray for Shirogane-san, na no da!" Pudding squealed happily as she rushed into the dining area with an envelope full of money. Since she was the youngest, and probably _too_ young to be legally employed for the number of hours she worked, Ryou always paid her in cash. And if one thing could be said about the rich young blond, it was that he paid his employees generously.

"Now Pudding can go shopping and fill up the cabinets with lots of yummy food for next week, na no da!" little hearts appeared in her honey-brown eyes. "Pudding is going to invite Taru-Taru to dinner, na no da! She'll prepare him an AMAZING feast, no da!"

"Uh, Pudding-san," Lettuce sweat dropped, "haven't you already had Taruto-san over for dinner?"

"This time will be different," she insisted in a half pout, "Pudding will use all her favorite secret family recipes to make this a meal he'll never forget, na no da!"

"Let's just hope she doesn't make him any of that 'scary food' she always likes to eat." Minto commented between sips of tea.

Pudding puffed out her cheeks and flushed. "At least Pudding _has_ a boyfriend, na no da!"

"Oh," Minto took advantage of her outburst, "so you and Taruto are dating now, hm? When did that happen?"

The monkey Mew went bright red from head to toe as she was instantly surrounded by the other four girls. _Me and my big mouth, na no da._

"No wait!" she frantically shook her hands and head. "Pudding didn't mean it like that, na no da! P-Pudding and Taru-Taru are just **friends**, NO DA!"

Zakuro grinned, Minto jeered, Ichigo giggled, and Lettuce beamed in a congratulatory fashion. A collective, "_Mmm-hmmm_" came in response causing Pudding to fall over in embarrassment.

Ryou walked up behind her and looked down at the yellow clad waitress sprawled out on the floor. "Haaah," he exhaled in exasperation, "anyone care to tell me why we've got a monkey girl on the floor?"

But all eyes were fixed on the envelopes in his hands.

"Nyah!" Ichigo's eyes sparkled when she saw the one with her name. "It's my weekly earnings! Now I can afford that cute new outfit I saw in the window of that boutique downtown. It'll be perfect for my date with Aoyama-kun tomorrow!"

Ryou resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he handed out the envelopes. "Good work this week girls. Try not to blow it all in one place." He looked pointedly at Ichigo who flat out ignored him as she drooled over her payment.

Minto and Zakuro weren't nearly so enamored. Being relatively wealthy on their own they simply didn't get the thrill that came with an average person receiving a generous salary for their part-time job. Though Zakuro was much less haughty about it than Minto.

"Such fuss over a few yen," she trivialized it. "Why this would barely cover the cost of one week of dance lessons."

"Or acting classes." Zakuro added softly.

"Well some of us don't come from super rich families _MINTO_!" Ichigo snapped. "So lay off."

"Hmph," the bird mew stuck her nose in the air, "so rude. You might want to think about buying some manners with that money instead."

The others watched with varied uneasiness as Ichigo growled in humiliation while Minto smirked proudly.

"Aoyama-san might leave you for a more proper girl if you don't get your ill manners in check Ichigo. Be nice or I might even introduce him to Kanna Saionji. You remember her, don't you?"

"Grrrrr…MINTO!"

And that was it. An all out insult war erupted between the girls that left the others sighing with beads of sweat on their foreheads.

"The cat and bird are fighting again," Zakuro stated.

"And all is right with the world." Lettuce added.

Pudding had taken advantage of the distraction and snuck over to the table to polish off Minto's tea and cookies.

* * *

In an effort to separate the two, before the fur and feathers started flying, Zakuro gave Lettuce and Ichigo a ride home while Minto accompanied Pudding back to her house to pick up Piper. 

To their relief, and Minto's amazement, the place was still standing when they got there.

"Well," the blue Mew remarked as she entered the home and slipped out of her shoes, "everything looks to be in one piece."

"MAMA BIRD!"

_Then again_, Minto gulped as a blue and yellow blur came flying toward her, _maybe I spoke too soon?!_

_**WHAM!**_

Brown eyes bulged as she was gut-checked by the excited little Cyniclon. With nothing but socks on she couldn't hold her ground and wound up sliding back into the door.

"Ouch," Pudding winced then turned and smiled warmly as her siblings rushed up to greet her.

"Hi Onee-chan! Welcome home!" they chorused.

"Hi everyone, na no da!" she chirped back, "Have you all been good while Pudding was at work, no da?"

"Yeeees!"

"Good!" Pudding beamed and held up the bag of groceries she and Minto had picked up on their way over. "Then Pudding will reward you all with lots of yummy Crab roe Tenshin rice for dinner!"

A cheer instantly broke out.

"Can Piper-chan stay for dinner, no da?" Pudding's sister asked hopefully.

"Sure!" the monkey girl answered, "If Minto onee-chan says it's okay we'll treat them both to dinner, na no da!"

Minto's expression faltered when she was suddenly confronted with five pairs of mahogany eyes and one tangerine colored pair close up. "Well…okay." she relented. "I guess we can stay."

"YAAAY!"

Piper gave her a quick peck and leapt down to follow the others out of the room, presumably to resume whatever game they'd been playing before the two Mews arrived.

* * *

The Midorikawa residence was the first stop when Zakuro agreed to give Ichigo and Lettuce a ride home after work. After she gave her friends a grateful bow and quick good-bye Lettuce ran down the walkway and fished the key out of her purse. 

At first glance upon entering the house it looked like no one else was home. "Hello?"

"Up here!" came a voice from upstairs.

Lettuce found her brother Uri up in his room working on a model rocket. It was one of his favorite pastimes, much like Lettuce's doll making hobby.

"Uri, where is everyone?" she questioned from the doorway.

The young boy looked up from his model and smiled. "Mom ran out to pick up something for dinner and Dad's working late at school tutoring some students."

As he spoke Lettuce's mind became a bit hazy so she decided to head back to her room and relax for a while. "Good luck with your model, Uri. It's coming along great."

"Thanks 'Nee-chan!"

By the time she reached her room—which was only a couple steps away—Lettuce had begun to feel really dizzy. She sat her purse down on the dresser and laid down to rest. The covers remained neatly in place since she didn't bother to crawl under them. For some reason she was suddenly very hot. Wiping a hand across her brow she realized she'd broken out into a cold sweat.

"Oh no," she moaned with her eyes shut against the sunlight streaming in, which had started to give her a headache, "I can't get sick now. I've got work tomorrow. And I've never called in sick before."

Wincing as the pounding in her head intensified she removed her glasses and sat them on the nightstand by her bed. She laid there for a few minutes longer trying to wait out the headache so she could think clearly. _Maybe an aspirin would help?_

Lettuce reluctantly swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood up. She made it out to the top of the stairs, replacing her glasses as she went, but had to stop again when she was struck with a sudden case of double vision. When she removed her glasses she found it only made things worse by blurring them. With a groan she decided not to chance it and hobbled back into her room. Plopping back down on the bed she called to Uri and asked him to bring her up an aspirin and a glass of water.

Uri entered the room to find the window raised and the fan blowing at full speed from his sister's nightstand.

"Onee-chan, are you okay?" he queried tentatively.

"Yes," Lettuce sat up and forced a smile, "just a little tired is all. I think I should rest for a while."

Uri left looking only slightly disconcerted and shut the door behind him. Lettuce sat the half empty glass down by the fan and tried to take a nap. But her sleep was restless and when her mother returned and came upstairs to check on her she was alarmed.

"Lettuce! You're burning up with fever!" her mother had exclaimed.

But Lettuce had been too out of it to get worried. She stayed up in room with only the light from the hall shining through the crack in her door. Downstairs she could hear her parents discussing what to do.

"Maybe we should get her to a doctor?" Mrs. Midorikawa suggested.

"Let's wait and see how she feels tomorrow." Mr. Midorikawa offered sensibly. "If her fever hasn't come down we'll make her an appointment first thing."

Lettuce's mother relented and the family ate dinner while the green Mew remained in her room, struggled futilely to fall asleep, and declined any food.

* * *

Back at the Fong house Minto and Pudding started dinner. The former was secretly grateful that her experience with Piper-chan had heightened her culinary skills (from zilch to passable). 

While the pots on the stove simmered atop each burner Pudding skipped out of the room to complete her usual chores. Minto tidied up the small mess in the kitchen and had just finished putting the last of the ingredients away when she noticed Pudding reenter with a look of confusion.

"Hm? What's wrong Pudding?"

The blonde scratched her head and held up the empty clothes hamper she'd grabbed from the bathroom. "The laundry baskets were all full before Pudding left for work, na no da. And now they're empty. It's very strange, no da."

The sound of kids' laughter and the pitter-patter of several scampering feet sounded from the living room just before Heicha popped her head in, saw the empty laundry hamper, and cheerfully announced, "Don't worry 'Nee-chan, na no da! Heicha did all the laundry while you were at work, na no da!"

"Heicha…" Pudding smiled, touched by her sister's thoughtfulness. "You shouldn't worry about taking care of the house like I do, no da. That's Pudding's job."

The little blonde stuck out her lower lip and propped her hands on her hips defiantly. "Hmph! Well Heicha is a big girl too, na no da! So she can handle the laundry and help out just like the others, no da!"

Pudding was at a loss for words, she hadn't meant it as an insult. But Heicha definitely looked offended, staring up her with crossed arms and pouty red face.

"Looks like your siblings are growing up," Minto noted with a grin. "That means they'll be getting more independent from now on. You can't expect them to allow you to do everything by yourself like before. They're not that naïve anymore."

Heicha looked at her big sister with watery eyes, intentionally making her lip quiver as she spoke. "Don't you trust Heicha to help with the laundry 'Nee-chan? She's watched you and Sensei very closely, no da. Heicha won't make a mistake, na no da."

Pudding faltered. "Well…um…" she looked to Minto for support but the bird Mew simply smiled and shook her head. "Unghhh…okay Heicha, you can help Pudding with the housework, na no da."

"Yay!" the little blonde jumped for joy and raced off to rejoin the others. Not a trace of her previous mood in sight.

Pudding blinked and slumped over the hamper. "She just deliberately put me through a guilt trip, didn't she, na no da?"

Minto giggled and gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Don't take it too hard Pudding. It's perfectly natural for kids their age."

The monkey Mew wore a sulky expression. _A few weeks with Piper-chan and Minto onee-chan thinks she's suddenly an __**expert**__ on children, na no da._

As the evening progressed both Mews grew increasingly tired. By the time dinner was over the kids had started to notice how beat they looked.

"We're fine," Minto assured them.

"It's just been a long day." Pudding nodded, "We just need to get some rest, na no da."

Minto left with Piper a few minutes later. As soon as they rounded the gate he decided to do more than just look at her with concern.

"Mama Bird…ya know I can just teleport us back to your room, right? We don't _have_ to walk back." he offered.

"That's okay Piper-chan," she fought back a yawn. "I'm not that tired yet and it's a nice night. We can walk."

"But since the Crisect thing I can teleport a lot further than I could before." he insisted.

Instead of answering him Minto began to sway back and forth. Without warning the world had started to spin around her. The ground tilted at impossible angles and threw her completely off balance. Piper managed to catch her before she fell into the street and promptly teleported them both home.

Meanwhile Pudding's siblings helped her get to bed early and promised to wash-up and go straight to bed themselves (after watching a kung-fu movie on TV). Feeling too tired to argue their sister agreed without a fuss and was soon fast asleep in her room.

* * *

The next morning Lettuce awoke to find her appetite was back and all her symptoms were gone. Her parents assumed it was just a twenty-four hour virus and forgot about it. Only Uri noticed the red circles developing under her eyes. Worried he decided to follow her to Café Mew Mew when she left for work. Just incase… 

"Good morning Lettuce!" Berry greeted her friend the moment she arrived.

"Good morning Berry-san," the porpoise Mew replied warmly.

According to the schedule in the changing room it was Minto and Zakuro's turn to have a day off. Even with Aoyama escorting her to work everyday Ichigo still managed to show up late. Tasuku and Berry were always right on time though.

"Maybe we should get Ichigo-san a pair of rollerblades?" Lettuce suggested jokingly.

"Ha ha, that'd be a disaster on wheels." Tasuku laughed as the girls emerged in their waitress uniforms. "Looking good Berry!"

The hybrid Mew blushed at his praise. "Th-Thanks, um…Lettuce!" she grabbed the green Mew's hand and pulled her back toward the kitchen, "Let's go see who Keiichiro wants waiting tables while the others run the register or take hostess duty!"

"O-Okay," Lettuce stumbled after her. She already knew she'd probably be stuck at the register again. Aside from her clumsiness she really was the best math student of the bunch.

Tasuku took off to make some mid-morning deliveries and nearly collided with Ichigo and Masaya as they raced around the hedges.

"NYAAAH!"

"AAAHHH!"

The pink Mew fell backwards into her boyfriend's arms.

"Nice catch," Tasuku laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that Ichigo. Didn't see you coming."

"It's okay," the cat girl panted. "We're kind of running late again."

"Some forgetful little kitty didn't set her alarm clock." Masaya teased.

"Nyah…" Ichigo blushed and pawed at the air.

Turning his attention back to Tasuku, Masaya inquired. "So, did you hear about the quake?"

The grey-eyed boy blinked. "Quake?"

"Oh yeah," Ichigo vaguely recalled the newscast she'd seen on her way out the door. "There was an earthquake out in the residential area late last night."

"That's right," Ryou startled everyone by appearing out of nowhere.

"Gah! Don't do that!" Ichigo snapped with both her furry ears and tail showing.

"It was a small quake that barely registered on the Richter scale." he explained earnestly. "But our data shows it was centered right around Pudding's house."

"Huh?!" Ichigo's eyes widened. "Where is Pudding?"

"That's just it." Ryou lowered his head and fixed his eyes on the grass. "She hasn't shown up for work today. It may be nothing but, in any case, I'm going to go check it out."

"Do you want us to come along?" Masaya inquired.

"No," Ryou shook his head, "I'll be fine. For all we know she's just running late. And," he smirked, "I'm not letting Ichigo out of hostess duty. She's already spent half the summer goofing off in California."

Said Mew's face reddened in aggravation. "SHIROGANE!" she yelled after him, "What's do you mean 'goofing off'?! I was fighting ALIENS you JERK!"

And so Masaya and Tasuku were left to try and calm her down before she wound up blowing their cover to the entire park.

* * *

Piper hovered in the air excitedly. Today was Minto's day off. No ballet practice, no work, no fighting killer aliens, which meant he got to spend the whole day playing with his Mama Bird! Now if he could only get her out of bed… 

"C'mon Mama Bird," he nudged her shoulder with his toe, "rise and shine! You promised we could play."

"Mmphf." Minto grunted into her pillow and squeezed her eyes shut in protest. Her whole body ached and she felt like all her energy had been drained. _Figures that on my day off I'd wind up with a cold_, she thought bitterly.

But Piper wasn't giving up. Hovering next to her ear he called, "Maaaaaamaaaaaa Biiiiird… You awake yet?"

With a groan she pushed herself up off the comfy pillows and struggled into a sitting position. "I am now." she huffed with sprigs of wavy black hair in her face.

"Good!" he grinned perkily.

Winds picked up outside the mansion and caused nearby tree limbs to knock against the window panes while the blue mew grudgingly climbed out of bed and started to get dressed.

"Aw great," her charge pouted, "it looks like a storm's coming."

Minto muttered something incoherent and trudged into the bathroom to brush her teeth and fix her hair. When she emerged the skies over her house and the surrounding area were darkened with thunder clouds.

"So much for playing outside." Piper stated grumpily with his cheeks propped on his fists.

"We'll just have to play indoors then." Minto shrugged indifferently. "But first thing's first, I'm going downstairs to get our breakfast."

Piper floated sulkily and continued to stare out the window. The day was already off to terrible start for him. And then he made the mistake of muttering, "What could be worse?!"

* * *

"Oh no!" Pudding panted as she raced down the street in a panic. "Pudding is in so much trouble, na no da! She overslept and now she's going to be very, very **late**, na no da!" 

"Pudding!" a familiar voice had her skidding to a stop.

Looking ahead she saw a blond figure rush her way. "Shirogane onii-chan?"

"Pudding," he repeated as he reached her, "is everything alright?"

The yellow Mew blushed in embarrassment. "Everything's fine Onii-chan, na no da. Pudding just overslept this morning. Sorry 'Nii-chan, no da."

Ryou smiled in relief. "Ah, that's okay. Ichigo's late all the time you know?" that got a giggle from the monkey girl. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Pudding is fine!" the blonde beamed, glad she wasn't scolded. "She had a good rest, na no da!"

"But Pudding," Ryou's brows knitted together in confusion, "didn't you feel the earthquake?"

The monkey Mew blinked. "Earthquake, no da?"

Ryou quickly explained about the minor quake and how it was centered right under her house. Though surprised by the news she informed him that neither herself nor her siblings had felt any quake.

"But then again," she smiled, "we were all pretty tired, na no da. Pudding had a busy day at work and Pudding's siblings stayed up late to watch a movie, no da."

They were about to head back to the café together when they noticed the dark storm clouds forming a few blocks away.

"Isn't that where Minto onee-chan lives, na no da?!"

"Quick," Ryou raced over to his motorcycle and tossed her the spare helmet, "put this on! We'll go investigate!"

* * *

Minto's head had started spinning again by the time she reached the kitchen. The chef even gave her a strange look when she left carrying the tray of food back upstairs, swaying slightly as she walked. 

Ryou sent Pudding in ahead of him, the acrobatic monkey Mew was able to scale the vines growing up the outer walls of the mansion and do a backwards summersault onto Minto's balcony without attracting unwanted attention. Piper was mildly surprised to see her standing triumphantly on the other side of the glass doors.

"Piper-chan!" she greeted, "Open up! Pudding has important business inside, na no da!"

Too bewildered to argue he let her in just as Minto knocked for him to come unlock the bedroom door.

"Pudding?" the bird Mew blinked when she saw her teammate standing across from her, the balcony doors wide open in the background.

The blonde's eyes sparkled in excitement as she bounded over and sniffed the food. "Mmm…are those fresh bananas and toast with jam Pudding smells, na no da?"

Rolling her eyes the bird Mew shrugged and gave up. "Help yourself." She really wasn't that hungry anyway.

Ryou waited impatiently outside the gate when Pudding came rushing back out with a half-eaten banana in each hand and a piece of jam covered toast hanging between her teeth. He was about to smack his forehead and ask what in the world she'd been up to when Minto appeared behind him. Piper still had a tight grip on her shoulders from when they'd teleported.

"Well?" she asked expectantly as a clap of thunder sounded above. "You'd better have a good reason for interrupting me on my day off and making me come out in this weather."

"I'll explain everything back at the café." he informed her and shot a pointed glance at Piper who took the hint and teleported himself and Minto there ahead of them.

Turning back to Pudding, Ryou saw she'd finished off the toast and one of the bananas. Without a word he shoved the helmet in her free hand and mounted the bike. He had a bad feeling about all these sudden, unexplained anomalies.

* * *

What started off as a lazy, slow day of work for the girls ended up with everyone waiting around upstairs while the two scientists were hauled up downstairs in deep discussion with their faces glued to the monitors. Minto in particular felt snubbed. 

"This is ridiculous," she complained to the others, "First he has the nerve to send Pudding to my house to drag me out into the rain on my day off. Then he makes Piper take me to the cafe before he'll tell me what's going on. And when he FINALLY got here he rushed right past me and makes me wait again while he and Akasaka-san discuss the weather!"

"Do you really think that's all this is about?" Lettuce asked doubtfully. "It seems like a lot of trouble to go through for something so simple."

"Maybe a new enemy has appeared, na no da!" Pudding suggested eagerly.

Ichigo blanched, "Whaaat?! Another one?! But we just finished dealing with the last two!"

"Evil will never be fully extinguished from the world." Zakuro stated coldly. "As long as there is good there will be a certain level of wickedness to oppose it."

Well _that_ dampened the mood.

"She's right," Masaya agreed, "but that doesn't mean we should stop fighting for what's important to us."

"If we did that," the monkey girl added somberly, "we wouldn't deserve it anymore, na no da."

Below them Ryou and Keiichiro discussed the possible causes for the strange earthquakes and weather patterns in the area.

"There's still a chance that these are all just coincidental." Keiichiro offered.

Ryou wasn't convinced. "If the incidents were spread out more, maybe. But they happened too close together. They _**have**_ to be related somehow."

As the minutes ticked by the unease upstairs intensified. The questions on everyone's mind were:

_What could've gone wrong now?_ and _What's taking them so long to act?_

Lettuce in particular became increasingly worried. She bit her lip and nervously wrung her apron as the minutes passed by with no response from either scientist.

Over by one of the heart-shaped windows Pudding sniffed the air. "Pudding smells rain, na no da."

Sure enough the sound of raindrops pattering against the windowpane sounded softly behind her. That alone was strange enough, seeing as there hadn't been a cloud in sight a few minutes ago (except for in Minto's neighborhood), but when the drizzle turned into a sudden downpour it was too spontaneous to dismiss. Everyone looked up as sheets of rain pounded down upon the roof, making it look like waterfalls were rushing over the windows.

Lettuce's eyes widened fearfully. "Oh no, it's getting worse." Sensations like having ice water in her veins washed over her and made her shudder to the core.

"It's happening again," Keiichiro gasped as a massive rain cloud appeared on the far monitor. "This system developed without warning."

"How can that be?" Ryou murmured. "The right conditions aren't in place. So why's the whole park suddenly getting drenched?"

Removing his square framed glasses the brunet muttered reluctantly, "You don't think it could have something to do with the aliens, do you?"

"The Crisects?"

"No," Keiichiro met his gaze with a solemn stare, "the Cyniclons."

Ryou scratched his chin in thought. "It might. They have been hovering overhead the whole time. And it might explain why we haven't heard back from them yet."

"Still," Keiichiro looked skeptical, "to affect the environment to this magnitude in such a short amount of time. We've only seen one alien with the power to manipulate the natural balance on that kind of scale…"

Blue eyes widened, "Deep Blue?"

"Yes," Keiichiro gave an encouraging smile, "but he was destroyed by Ichigo-san and Aoyama-san."

"But there's still the Blue Knight." Ryou seemed doubtful that he was even a possibility. The Blue Knight lived to protect Ichigo and would never intentionally endanger the planet where she lived.

"Well," the brunet hesitated, "there is one other being that might possess enough power."

Ryou regarded him curiously. "Who?"

The manager looked deeply troubled as he answered, "Piper-san."

"What?" the blond stared at his friend in utter disbelief. "How could he have anything to do with it? He's just a kid."

"Remember those findings we made at the last excavation site?"

"You mean the ancient carvings?"

"Right," Keiichiro nodded and explained earnestly, "the images we found depicted powerful women that were deified by the ancient civilizations. The ruins aren't nearly as old as the ones where we found traces of the Cyniclons' past habitation of our planet but we can't just overlook the fact that those 'deities' bare a striking resemblance to Chimera Animas or—more so—to the Mews."

"So, you really believe that someone else created a project similar to ours in the past?" Ryou asked.

"It doesn't seem possible," the brunet admitted. "But then again, the Mew Project alone has shown us that there are a lot of things in existence out there that we never thought possible. Our ancestors may have indeed found a way to create powerful guardians to protect our planet and its resources. It would explain how life was able to adapt and survive in a world that changed so drastically over the span of millions of years."

"And millions of years is nothing in the vast evolutionary process." Ryou sighed. "I guess anything's possible at this point. It may even link to those visions the girls mentioned."

The two scientists hadn't been all that concerned when the girls first came to them about their strange dreams yesterday. But now too many things seemed to coincide with the dreamt up events. The ground shaking, sudden gusts of wind, and now large water droplets were splashing against the roof so loudly they could be heard all the way downstairs. It had to tie together somehow.

"Urgh," he fisted his hands in his bangs, "I feel like we've got the answer staring us right in the face right now but we just can't see it!"

"Don't give up," Keiichiro smiled encouragingly. "I believe that everything will reveal itself in due time. And speaking of time," he glanced at the clock in the corner of the computer screen, "I believe it's time we explained the situation to the others upstairs."

* * *

When Keiichiro emerged several minutes later he immediately started to inform the girls of the strange activities and asked them to be cautious until more data could be gathered on the matter. In truth they still didn't know exactly what (or who) they were dealing with only that the stability of Tokyo—and perhaps the entire _**planet**_—could be at stake. As he suspected, the others took particular interest in the ruins. He explained apologetically that most of the images had been lost during the 'explosive' argument Minto and Ichigo had down in the basement but promised to alert them right away when their team of archeologists sent the new batch of images. 

While everyone was engrossed in Keiichiro's announcement and throwing out questions left and right Ryou approached from the side and fixed his gaze on the raven haired girl standing at the back of the group. As much as he didn't want to believe it Keiichiro was right about one thing—the Cyniclons were prime candidates for this sort of mayhem. And that meant that Piper (whether willing or not) may at least have information they could use. The kid was young, but if Tart was any indication, even young Cyniclons knew plenty about the sort of advanced technology that was still alien to Earth.

"Minto."

The blue Mew stopped and turned at the sound of her name.

"Shirogane?"

The blond stood before her with his no nonsense expression. This was obviously a matter of Mew Project duty.

"Keep a close watch over Piper," he came directly to the point. "It's highly probable that he's connected to these strange occurrences somehow."

"Piper-chan?" she didn't like where this was going. If anything she'd hoped to keep the little Cyniclon from getting involved. He was already _**way**_ too enthusiastic about fighting for someone his age.

"Right," Ryou nodded, "your visions, the ancient carvings we found, the unusual environmental phenomenon that have been centered around Tokyo...it's not just all one big coincidence. Something serious is going on Minto and I need you to find out all you can from Piper about-"

"BUT WHY ME?!" she demanded suddenly. "Why am I always the one who has to drill him for information?! He's just a kid, you know!"

Ryou's brow furrowed. "I know," he consented, "but right now he's the best lead we have. With Aoyama's memories of his early childhood lost we only have Piper's knowledge to go on. And since he obviously trusts you the most, it's only logical that you be the one to approach him. Get him to confide in you, Minto. I'm counting on you—we all are. Besides..."

He paused a moment to stare almost pityingly at the crestfallen Mew.

"...it might be good for him."

Sad mahogany eyes slowly rose to meet his unwavering gaze. "How?"

"It's like you said, _'he's only a child'_, and already he's been through so much." Ryou's voice became distant as though he had suddenly become lost in his own memories. "What he really needs right now is someone he can talk to. Someone who will listen and let him get it all off his chest. Do that and I promise you—he'll be grateful."

The smile he flashed her was sincere and promising. It brought a smile to her own face as she wordlessly accepted the task. Mission or not, it was her duty to look out for Piper's best interests. It may not always be easy but it was the right thing to do, both as his guardian and his friend.

* * *

Feeling out of place among the chattering teens Piper had teleported himself out back for some fresh air and elbow room. The rain had tapered off into a drizzle so he was able to keep dry under the awning which wrapped around the building so that it extended a little ways past the doorway on either side. He heard Minto's footsteps coming toward the door and frowned as he recalled the troubled look on her face when Shirogane had pulled her to the side. Whatever they were talking about it couldn't have been good news. 

"Hey." she greeted as she came round to lean beside him on the wall.

"Hey." he returned listlessly.

Tilting her head back Minto looked off into the vast expanse of gray sky above them. _No sense beating around the bush about it._ "Shirogane says you may be tied into some of the weird things that have been happening lately."

"Like what?" he asked curiously, tangerine eyes wide and innocent.

"Like..." Minto found herself faltering for a moment, "...like the odd weather patterns and those strange dreams Pudding, Lettuce, and I have been having."

"How would _I_ affect your dreams?" Piper quirked a brow. "I don't have that kind of power."

Minto was about to point out how Pai and Taruto had already managed to create a Chimera Anima that could trap them in a dream dimension once before but decided not to mention it. Circumstances were complicated enough without dredging up the past and creating more suspicion between Piper and the other Cyniclons. "I'm not sure. But—we didn't start having the visions until _after_ you arrived."

The blond alien looked down in thought.

"And then there's your ocarina..."

"My pipe?" he asked bewildered as he held up the elliptical instrument.

"Mmh," she affirmed, "it makes such beautiful music but also...I've seen you wield a lot power when you play it. None of us have seen that kind of power since—well—since the Blue Knight."

Piper was awestruck. "Y-You mean you think _**I **_might be as strong as him?!"

"In some ways," the lorikeet girl smiled. _But it's only a theory._

"Wow," Piper glanced down to where he had clutched the ocarina protectively to his chest. _The Blue Knight, that guy's amazing! I've seen some of the footage Keiichiro got of him in action. Imagine me, a knight! Heh, Heicha's gonna __**flip**__ when I tell her!_

"So," Minto pressed on, "do you remember anything else, about before you left, anything at all that might help explain things?"

The child's brow creased as he thought for a moment, a very long moment that seemed to stretch on forever. Finally he shook his head and sighed. "Nope, nothing. Sorry."

Minto's shoulders slumped as she frowned down at him. "Nothing?"

"No luck, Mama Bird. If there is some kind of connection between the Blue Knight and me, then my mom must not have known about it either. She never said anything to me about blond, blue-eyed knights with magic swords. We barely knew anything at all about Deep Blue. Only that he was supposed to be some kind of god that had come to save us from extinction."

"Deep Blue?" Now there was a name she'd hoped never to hear again.

"Yeah," he started to absently swing his legs back and forth in mid air, "we were all pretty much stranded until he came along. I heard he had all this knowledge of ancient science, technology, and space travel that had been lost to our species for thousands of years. Rumor has it that he agreed to share it with us—if we'd help him reawaken so he could return to his true form. That was gonna take a lot of energy though. But he was convinced that there would be enough on Earth to spare."

_That sounds just like him_, Minto scowled angrily as an image of the selfish tyrant appeared in her mind. _That arrogant, manipulative, despicable...!_

"You don't think I'm somehow connected to him too, do you, Mama Bird?"

Minto jerked herself out of her loathing thoughts and locked eyes with Piper. The poor little Cyniclon looked absolutely terrified at the concept. She was quick to put his fears to rest. "Of course not, Piper-chan! You're nothing like that monster. Nothing at all!"

_Stupid Shirogane_, her brow twitched, _why did I let him talk me into this? Now Piper's more worried than ever. I just KNEW this would be a bad idea!_

_Could I really be related to some dangerous bad guy like Deep Blue?_ Piper wondered in uneasy silence.

* * *

It had been a fairly uneventful day for the Cyniclons. Kisshu and Taruto had spent most of it lagging about the spaceship while they waited for Pai to return with his findings on the reason(s) behind the Crisect attacks. As was typical for Pai when he became immersed in his research he'd been hauled up in his lab for nearly the entire day without emerging for anything. Not rest, not food, not water, nothing. 

"Geez," Taruto kicked his heels out toward the ceiling of the control room where he sat upside down in the chair at his station, "what's taking him so long?"

"You know Pai," Kisshu opened an eye to glance at him lazily while he reclined back in his chair, "once he gets started on a project he won't let up until he's gathered _**all**_ the data he can."

The pigtailed alien snorted. "Still, they're just giant bug monsters. It shouldn't take _this_ long to figure them out."

Kisshu shrugged and went to doze off again when the door behind them slid open.

Taruto looked over and beamed. "Pai!"

"Oh," Kisshu cast him an acknowledging glance, "so you finally finished analyzing those remains, huh?"

"Yes." Pai nodded curtly, still wiping residue from his gloved hands.

Tart winced at the sight of the alien guts. Though he had to admit it was kind of cool that Pai got to dissect their enemy it was still pretty gross to see him up to his elbows in its innards.

"So," Kisshu sat up and swirled around in the chair, "what did you find out?"

"After a detailed analysis of our enemy's major internal body systems—what remained of them—I was able to determine conclusively the reason for their attacks on both races."

Kisshu stared at him dumbly. "Duh, I kind of figured that much." _Geez, it's like this guy swallowed a dictionary._

The elder Cyniclon ignored him and continued. "Due to the similar genetic make-up of both humans and Cyniclons the Crisects viewed us as a food source. We contain all the proteins and various other compounds that are essential to the species' diet. So, it actually wasn't our _planets_ they were after at all."

"They wanted to EAT us?!" Tart was creeped out by the unnerving news.

"Yes." Pai remained ever emotionless.

"Hn, well that explains it then." Kisshu also appeared unfazed as he turned back around and propped his feet on the console. "It's kind of late though. We should probably wait 'til tomorrow to tell the Mew Mews."

"Heh, heh," Taruto's expression darkened mischievously, "I bet those girls will freak out when they hear they were almost eaten by giant space monsters."

With that decided the three went about their business, doing whatever they pleased to pass the time until the next day. Pai left without another word, presumably to return to his lab and dispose of the excess remains. Tart went to his room to pig out on candy and read some of the comic books Pudding had given him. Comics were one of the human inventions he enjoyed (almost as much as sweets). Reading about genetic mutations, alien super heroes, and intense battle scenes was fun and some of the graphics were pretty awesome too!

Kisshu stayed at his station and stared out at the Earth in silent contemplation. He'd been doing that a lot more than usual lately. If Pai and Taruto had spent enough time on the ship to notice they might've been worried.

Memories from their first trip to Earth flooded back to him as he stared at his transparent reflection in the window. One in particular replayed in his mind as vividly as the day it had occurred. It had happened on Valentine's Day, an Earth holiday girls in Japan celebrated by giving chocolates to the special boys in their lives. And naturally Ichigo had worked especially hard on her gift to Masaya. But Kish wasn't worried about that, not when he had already made up his mind to abduct his reluctant 'koneko-chan' and take her to some distant planet where he'd have her all to himself. And better still, she'd be spared the sight of watching her people destroyed when Deep Blue awakened to reclaim Earth for the Cyniclons.

But his first attempt failed miserably and before he could try again the Blue Knight transformed into their powerful master. It was much, much too soon! Ichigo was still there, still refused to obey him and return his feelings, and in the end he wound up losing both his life and the girl.

Though the former had been restored thanks to the miraculous healing power of the Mew Aqua he had still lost the only girl he'd ever felt so deeply for. And when he thought back to their last meeting and how she barely noticed him at all old wounds reopened and plunged him deeper back into despair. It hurt so much to be reminded of how she didn't return his affection. Dismally he stared out at the blue planet below them set before the vast backdrop of space and began to wonder if anyone out there ever would.

* * *

When the rain didn't let up Shirogane and Keiichiro decided to close up early again. Normally their hours were longer in the seasons with extended school breaks but with the bad weather they simply weren't doing enough business. Keiichiro lent Ryou his keys so he could give Pudding a ride home in the car while the manager stayed behind with the other girls to finish cleaning up. Pudding usually skipped out right after Ichigo to get home to her siblings or pick up Heicha from school. Minto finished stacking the chairs atop the tables and teleported home with Piper. Lettuce was the last to leave as she had decided mopping would be much easier with everyone else gone. 

Keiichiro came out from the kitchen and asked if she needed any help. She assured him she was fine so he went downstairs to monitor the latest conditions. Except for the rain everything had gone back to normal around the city though he was reluctant to lower his guard just yet.

* * *

Back at the Aizawa mansion Piper had zipped into the bathroom for a minute only to find Minto missing when he came out. It didn't take him long to spot her standing out on the balcony as she'd left the glass doors wide open so that her curtains flapped wildly in the wind. The storm, that seemed to be letting up when they arrived, had intensified. And most shocking of all he could see a funnel cloud forming overhead! 

"What is with this Earth weather?" he muttered to himself.

As he got closer he noticed something else out of place.

"Hey Mama Bird," he eyed her back curiously, "why'd you transform?"

The bird Mew's shoulders tensed and an icy chill suddenly shot down his spine. _Something's definitely wrong here._

"M-Mama Bird?"

He reached out to touch her shoulder but jerked back when she whirled on him fiercely with an unnatural red glow to her eyes. There was something disturbingly familiar about that glow. He just couldn't quite place why.

"Now," she announced darkly in a tone much too sinister to belong to his firm yet loving 'Mama Bird', "the time has come for all humans to DIE!"

Tangerine eyes widened in fear. "W-What?!"

* * *

Ryou took Pudding to her house, noting that she'd been strangely quiet the whole trip. When they arrived he was shocked when she suddenly fell off the back of his bike and hit the pavement unconscious. 

"Pudding! PUDDING!" he leapt from his motorcycle and shook her shoulders frantically.

Whipping out his cell phone he turned and started to dial the number to the café.

"Mew Mew Pudding—Metamorphosis!"

He spun back around at first relieved and then alarmed when he saw Pudding staring back at him with a devious smile and reddish glow to her eyes.

"P-Pudding," he ventured, "what's wrong? What's happening to you?"

When the blonde girl gave no answer he turned suspicious and demanded that she tell him who she was and what she'd done with Pudding.

The monkey mew laughed coldly. "I am Chimera Pudding," she announced, "and I will use Mew Pudding's powers to **destroy** the Tokyo Zoo Crew and wipe out humanity, na no da!"

* * *

At Café Mew Mew Keiichiro made a startling discovery while reviewing the files he had downloaded from Masha when the little robot underwent repairs. 

"Oh no," he remarked uneasily, "according to this data three of predacytes Masha retrieved in America were accidentally released during the blast."

Pulling up Masha's video files he located the one from the day of the incident and replayed it on the screen. On closer inspection he could see that the predacytes had managed to use the extra power boost to infuse themselves with three of the Mews through their previous wounds. With the girls weakened and the predacytes stronger than ever they didn't notice anything was wrong immediately.

"I've got to warn them before it's too late." he declared.

He'd just gotten up to rush to the phone when a voice from the doorway shouted, "Reborn Lettuce Rush!"

A blast of water missed him by inches and slammed two of the monitors against the wall. When he looked over he saw the porpoise Mew glaring back at him menacingly with reddened eyes.

"It's already too late," she informed him. "You pathetic humans are doomed!"

Outside the café Uri lounged on one of the park benches under a large cherry tree. With the hood of his jacket pulled over his head it was difficult to tell his identity and people dismissed him as just another jogger hanging around the park. It was chilly, wet, and downright gloomy out. But for some reason he felt the need to stick around. Something about the way his sister had looked before heading out that morning made him wonder if she was really as healthy as she claimed.

_Onee-chan_, he stared sadly into the endless rain,

* * *

When Chimera Minto started attacking him Piper soared out of the mansion and took off to find help at the closest location—Pudding's house. The infused Mew was right on his tail the entire time. 

"Cyniclon traitor!" she shouted furiously, "All traitors to Deep Blue-sama must be destroyed!"

Meanwhile Ryou was having problems of his own with Chimera Pudding. No matter how many times he tried to reason with her his words just didn't seem to get through.

The commotion caused Heicha to run outside before her brothers could stop her. It was true that they weren't supposed to leave the house until Pudding got home but the little blonde had always been more curious (and occasionally more reckless) than her brothers.

Heicha gasped in horror when she saw her big sister preparing to launch an attack on the injured blond lying sprawled out in the street. "No 'Nee-chan don't do it!" the little girl cried as she rushed to intervene. "Shirogane onii-chan is a good guy, no da!"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Pudding Ring Inferno!"

"AAAHH!" scared out of her wits Heicha froze and covered her eyes as the blast came hurdling toward her.

"NO!" Ryou screamed, he'd never reach her in time, that attack was just too fast!

Just as Heicha was about to become a pint-sized pudding mold Piper appeared in front her and blew a shrill note on his ocarina. The sound waves countered the attack and stopped it cold. Chimera Pudding dropped her weapon and covered her ears.

"No fair, na no da!" she growled. "That's cheating!"

Chimera Minto swooped down and fired a close shot at them from above. Piper repeated his attack and winced when she dropped to the sidewalk with her gloved hands clamped tightly over her ears.

While their enemies' ears were ringing Ryou yelled for the two kids to follow him back to the café. "We've got to lead them away from Pudding's brothers and the other civilians!"

On the way Ryou called ahead to the café but received no answer. Concerned he called Ichigo directly and ordered her to round up the others. "Hurry Ichigo!"

"Reborn Mint Echo!"

"It's an EMERGENCY!" he yelled and swerved his bike to avoid the shot.

Back at the café the phone continued to ring down in the lab while Keiichiro stayed slumped on the floor a short ways away. His white shirt was stained with blood from a deep gash on his right shoulder. Sparks from the busted machinery rained down around him as Chimera Lettuce moved in for the kill.

"Reborn Loveberry Check!"

The porpoise Mew barely avoided a direct hit by the attack. She cast a glare behind her where Mew Berry and her boyfriend stood in the doorway.

"Luckily we were close by when we got the call." Tasuku informed a relieved Keiichiro as he rushed over and helped him to his feet.

"Thank you, Tasuku-san."

Mew Berry held off the Chimera Mew while Tasuku moved the injured scientist up the stairs. They made it out front just as the others arrived.

"What's going on?" Ichigo demanded.

"Akasaka-san!" Zakuro was shocked to see the brunet in such a state and quickly knelt down by his side as Tasuku lowered him carefully to the grass.

"I'm afraid we've got a serious problem on our hands ladies." Keiichiro informed the girls. "Three Mews have been infused with predacytes."

"WHAT?!" a series of startled gasps rang out from the group.

"It gets worse," the brunet continued, "the predacytes have changed Lettuce, Minto, and Pudding into Chimera Mews and are using their powers to achieve the Cyniclons' original objective to destroy the human race."

Mew Berry slowly backed out of the café just as Piper and Heicha arrived with Ryou.

"Keiichiro!" the blond immediately rushed over to check on his friend.

"It's alright Ryou," he bravely assured him, "I'm fine. It's the others we should be worried about now."

Ryou drew back. "What do you mean?"

"From what we learned about fusing human spirits with predacytes it greatly increases the person's metabolism. And these predacytes are incredibly powerful. If the girls remain infused with the alien creatures much longer their systems will burn out completely."

"N-No," Ichigo's eyes widened and quivered with unshed tears, "th-they'll DIE?!"

"You're ALL going to DIE." a familiar yet disturbingly twisted voice announced from behind.

Piper sat Heicha on the ground and turned with his instrument ready just in time to see Chimera Minto land beside the smug faced monkey Mew.

"For the glory of Deep Blue-sama, na no da!"

The others were blown away, especially Masaya. He **hated** his alter ego and had hoped never to hear that name again. But the predacytes that Kisshu left behind when the aliens left Earth must have still been programmed to obey the heartless tyrant and his minions.

"All humans will perish."

The grim statement drew everyone's attention back toward the café where Chimera Lettuce emerged with her castanets poised for another attack.

"And the Mew Mews and their allies get to die first, no da!" Chimera Pudding held out her hands and narrowed her eyes in concentration. Her irises went from honey-brown, to bright yellow, to a fiery red as the ground beneath them started to shift and shake.

"H-How is she doing this?!" Mew Berry exclaimed. She nearly toppled over into Tasuku when a large sharp rock burst through the surface and knocked her back into Ichigo instead.

"Ichigo!" Masaya shouted as he snatched her out of the way before another sharp rock could spear her. "Hurry and transform! We need a barrier!"

"Right!" Ichigo nodded and shifted her gaze from Masaya to Chimera Lettuce.

The wolf teen stood and glared defiantly at the fiendish duo behind them.

"Mew Mew Ichigo-"

"Mew Mew Zakuro-"

"-Metamorphosis!!"

And in a rarely seen maneuver Masaya too transformed—into the Blue Knight! He wasn't nearly as powerful as he'd been before the destruction of Deep Blue, but he held no regrets. It was worth it to be the master of his own destiny.

The three Mews held their weapons out in opposite directions and extended their power into a barrier to protect them against the others' attacks.

"Pudding Ring Inferno!"

"Reborn Mint Echo!"

"Reborn Lettuce Rush!"

"We can't hold out forever!" Mew Berry winced.

"We're getting bombarded from all sides." Mew Zakuro added.

"Just a little longer everyone." Mew Ichigo persisted. "We've got to keep this up until we can think of a way to diffuse our friends from those aliens!"

Uri looked up from his spot on the bench and heard the commotion coming from inside the hedges surrounding the café. "Onee-chan…!"

The Blue Knight stood behind Mew Ichigo with his sword drawn in preparation to counter any attack that breeched the barrier. When he caught sight of his reflection in the blade a light flashed in his eye as though he'd just been struck with an epiphany.

_It might work!_

"Everyone!" he called suddenly, "I think I know a way we can save the others. But we're going to have to drop the barrier."

"WHAT?!" the hybrid and wolf Mew shouted.

"If they do that those Chimera Mews will cream us!" Tasuku exclaimed.

"Not if we can overpower them first." the Blue Knight replied. "Listen, if we focus our power into the Chimera Mews we'll drive out the predacytes and Masha can recapture them."

"Retrieve! Retrieve!" the little pink robot swirled over Mew Ichigo's shoulder excitedly.

"What makes you so sure it will work?" Mew Zakuro asked.

"I don't know for sure," he admitted, "and I can't explain it, but something tells me that it's the only way."

With no other options left the Mews agreed and prepared to lower the barrier.

Tangerine eyes bulged, "Waaaiiit! You're really gonna do it?! This is CRAZY!"

"Piper-san," Keiichiro spoke softly to the quaking blond, "take Heicha-san and teleport to safety. This is no place for children."

"Actually," Ryou remarked thoughtfully, "he could come in handy."

"Huh?!" Piper trembled as Ryou fixed him with a confident gaze.

"You could use your instrument to cripple the enemy long enough for the others to close in."

The little Cyniclon looked doubtful but Heicha threw her arms around his neck from behind and gave him a quick peck on the cheek for encouragement. "You can do it, Piper-chan! Heicha believes in you, na no da!"

With a deep blush and an audible gulp he reluctantly agreed to go through with the plan.

No sooner had they dropped the barrier than they were knocked to the ground by a strong gust of wind.

"AAAHHH!!!"

Chimera Minto lowered her arms, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Face it Mew Mews, you're finished!"

Chimera Pudding bounced over clutching a piece of her Pudding Ring in each hand. "You can't even fight back without hurting your friends, na no da!"

"Ha!" Mew Ichigo called defiantly, "Just remember if you burn out all our friends' energy you'll die too!"

"Not likely," Chimera Lettuce stepped forward and gestured toward the surrounding puddles. The three Mews were ensnared by long extensions of water that rose up and lassoed them tightly. "Predacytes can hop from one host to the next."

"So as soon as your friends die, we'll just infect someone else!" Chimera Pudding cackled. "Maybe even one of you, na no da!"

"If you live that long." The green Mew added.

"Which you won't." Chimera Minto promised menacingly.

The Blue Knight managed to sever the aquatic restraints with one swing of his sword. The act only appeared to anger the Chimera Mews further.

"I'll turn that guy into shish-kebab!" the yellow Mew growled. "Take THIS, no da!"

She held out her hands in preparation to launch another rocky attack when Piper floated up overhead and played the same shrill note as before. The sound pierced their eardrums and brought everyone to their knees in agony.

Thanks to her prior experience with the Chimera Cicadas Ichigo managed to struggle back to her feet. "C'mon girls," she grunted out to Mew Zakuro and Mew Berry, "this is our chance. We've gotta save them!"

"You won't win so easily!" Chimera Lettuce extended her arm toward a puddle directly under the Cyniclon and sent a drill-shaped blast of water spiraling up toward him.

Somehow less affected by his own head-splitting attack Piper kept focused on playing the note, so much so that he didn't see the counterstrike coming from below.

"LOOK OUT!"

Someone dove upwards and shoved the oblivious blond out of the way just in time. The two came crashing down in the mud between Ryou and the Blue Knight. The scientist's eyes widened in recognition. "Uri?!"

"Ow." a tiny voice grunted underneath him.

Uri got to his feet and hauled the dazed Cyniclon up. A Piper-shaped imprint remained on the ground.

When the Chimera Mews shook off the attack they found themselves already in the clutches of their enemies. Mew Berry had grabbed Chimera Lettuce from behind, Mew Zakuro did the same with Chimera Pudding, and Mew Ichigo had Chimera Minto in a tight hold. All three infused girls looked shell-shocked by how quickly the tables had turned.

"This can't be happening, no da!"

"You'll never win you filthy alley cat!"

_I'm gonna enjoy this. _Ichigo's eyes darkened at the insult.

"No matter what you try, it won't work!" Chimera Lettuce declared vehemently, though her tone was laced with panic.

"We'll just see about that!" Mew Ichigo replied. "Ready girls?"

"Ready!"

"Ready."

"All right! Now everyone concentrate on releasing your energy into the others." she directed. "One…two…three…"

"Mew Power Extension!!!"

"AAAAHHH!"

"NOOOO!"

"IT BURNS, NA NO DA!"

Cries of protests and agony immediately erupted from the girls in their hold. The predacytes put up a tough fight but they were being overwhelmed by the onslaught of immense power. It was too much to handle and they soon lost their hold and flew out of their hosts.

But there was something different about these predacytes…

"They're HUGE!" Tasuku gaped. "I thought predacytes were supposed to be little jelly-fish sized aliens?!"

"They are," Keiichiro furrowed his brow, "but these have been supercharged with the energy from the blast down in the lab and again when the Mew Mews channeled their power into the girls. Masha won't be able to contain them now."

The little pink puff ball trembled at the sight of the massive crimson jelly-fish monsters. "No good! No good!"

"They're too big," Ryou frowned.

"Too big! Too big!"

"And too powerful." Keiichiro added.

"Too powerful! Too powerful!" Masha flapped his stubby pink wings frantically.

The diffused Mews collapsed into the arms of their exhausted teammates. While Mew Ichigo tried to lower Minto to the ground one of the predacytes lashed out toward her with its spiny tentacle.

"ICHIGO! Sui-Sei-Ran-Gyoku-Zan!!"

In a flash the Blue Knight swung his sword and decimated the three oversized predacytes at once.

"Wooow," Piper remarked with awe. _That guy's amazing!_

Masha zipped over and flew in circles around the spot where the glittery dust had fallen and dissipated. "No retrieve! No retrieve! Aliens gone! No retrieve!"

With the threat gone the scientists and Tasuku stood and helped the girls carry their three unconscious friends inside. Down in the basement Piper hovered anxiously over the motionless bird Mew.

"She's gonna be okay, right?" he asked Ryou worriedly.

"She'll be fine." the teen genius gave him an encouraging smile. "You were a big help today Piper. Thanks."

Piper jumped slightly when the Blue Knight walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Very impressive. We could not have saved the day without you."

The kid looked as overjoyed as Minto when she received a rare compliment from Zakuro. He hadn't quite come to idolize the Blue Knight but it was still cool to hear something like that from a warrior as strong as him. "Heh, it was nothing."

Heicha hopped from the mat where Pudding laid to the one where Minto was resting and trapped the unsuspecting blond in a bear hug. "You're Heicha's hero, Piper-chan! Heicha knew you could do it, na no da!"

Everyone laughed when she gave him another peck on the cheek that turned his skin a deep scarlet hue. Embarrassed though he was he had to admit it was comforting to hear that from her too. Now he was sure he was nothing like Deep Blue.

_That guy was nobody's hero._

* * *

The Cyniclons returned the next day to deliver their findings to the Mew Mews. Fortunately Minto, Lettuce, and Pudding had recovered the night before and returned home for a well deserved rest. It took a bit of coaxing on Lettuce's part but she finally convinced her parents that she had run across Uri while running an errand for the café and brought him back with her until her shift was over. And of course Keiichiro was happy to inform the Midorikawas that there had been a slight incident in the kitchen that required their daughter to stay late and help with the clean-up. Well aware of their daugther's inherit clumsiness it wasn't such a hard story for the Midorikawas to believe. Uri seemed content to keep his big sister's identity a secret. He was pretty mature for his age and knew the importance of her job—her _real_ job. 

A knock at the front door sent Pudding scrambling across the dining area. "Pudding's got it, na no da!"

"Nyah! Pudding, slow down!" Ichigo shouted, "You're going to break something!"

"Besides," Minto waved dismissively as she finished setting the pastries out on display, "we're not even open yet."

"Pudding knows that, na no da!" the blonde shouted back as she skidded to a halt in front of the double doors. "Maybe it's the mailman, no da?"

"But Pudding-san," Lettuce looked up from the register where she'd been recounting the money, "it's not time for the-"

"They're back, na no da!" the yellow Mew cried joyously as she flung open the doors and stepped back to reveal Pai, Taruto, and Kisshu standing out on the stoop.

"And they knocked," Minto grinned. "There may be hope for them yet."

Pai entered first and faced the blond scientist as he strode into the dining area with an authoritative air. He did, however, steal a glance at Lettuce that made her blush and quickly duck her head down. Barely suppressing a smile he turned to Ryou and stated solemnly. "We've come to inform you of the results of our analysis of the Crisect remains."

Ryou didn't miss a beat. He folded his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side. "Good. Because we've got a lot to fill you in on too."

* * *

_To be continued…_


End file.
